Ingredients and Quantities

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How to Make Lemon Cookies

Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined.
Ensure there are no clumps in the dry mixture.
Tip: A fork works just as well as a whisk for this step.

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Cream Butter, Sugar, and Lemon Zest

In another large bowl, add 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup sugar, and the zest of 2 lemons.
Mix using a spatula or a spoon until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is fluffy and slightly pale.
Tip: Softened butter should leave an indentation when pressed but shouldn’t be melted.

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Add Eggs and Lemon Flavor

Stir in 1 egg and 1 egg yolk into the butter mixture, ensuring they are well incorporated.
Add 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir until mixed.
The mixture may look slightly curdled because of the lemon juice, but that’s completely normal.
Tip: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor; avoid bottled juice.

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Optional: Add Color

If you want a brighter yellow cookie, add a few drops of natural yellow food coloring and mix until evenly distributed.
Tip: Natural food coloring gives a subtle, healthy tint without affecting flavor.

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Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet butter mixture. Stir gently with a spatula or spoon until there are no streaks of flour left.
Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure an even mix.
Tip: Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies dense instead of tender.

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Chill the Dough

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and place the dough in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes.
This step helps the dough firm up, making it easier to handle and reduces spreading during baking.
Tip: Short on time? Chill the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.

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Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 10 minutes of chilling.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, lightly grease the baking sheet with butter or oil.

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Shape and Bake Cookies

Scoop out about 1.5 tablespoons (28g) of dough for each cookie and roll it into a ball (roughly the size of a golf ball).
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden.
Tip: For puffier cookies, don’t flatten the dough balls; for flatter cookies, gently press the balls down before baking.

Prepare the Icing

While the cookies cool, prepare the icing. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice until smooth and slightly runny.
Adjust the consistency: add more powdered sugar to thicken or more lemon juice to thin it out.
Tip: The icing should flow slowly when drizzled from a spoon.

Drizzle Icing and Set

Transfer the icing to a resealable plastic bag, snip off a small corner, and drizzle it over the cooled cookies.
Allow the icing to set at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Tip: If you don’t have a resealable bag, use a spoon to drizzle the icing over the cookies.

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