Lemon Sugar Cookies
Lemon sugar cookies are lushly lemony and slightly sweet. Soft in the center with a crunchy lemon sugar top, they are best enjoyed with ice-cold milk.
This post was sponsored by a2 Milk®. All opinions are mine.
Milk and cookies are a match made in culinary heaven. There is something special about how the creamy milk balances out the cookie’s sweetness. These lemon sugar cookies may not be rich or super sweet, but when it comes to pairing them with milk, they are no exception.
The recipe is fairly basic. Mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, then mix the dry ingredients with the wet.
It’s important to note that the butter needs to be melted and allowed to cool. You don’t want it hot when you mix it with the eggs. I find it works best to microwave the butter on defrost (30% power) for a minute, stirring and adding more time in 30 second increments until all butter chunks have melted. It won’t have to melt completely in the microwave, as the hot butter will melt the still solid butter without getting it too hot.
The lemon zest that goes into the batter was lightly packed as I measured it. I zested about two thirds of a large lemon.
To make the lemon sugar I used all of the zest of a second large lemon, but didn’t measure it. It should be around 1 tablespoon. The amount of lemon zest does not have to be exact in either application for the recipe to turn out. The more lemon you use the more intense flavor you’ll have in the end result.
Once the batter comes together it will be sticky. Refrigerate it for an hour before rolling it out into balls that are about 1″ in diameter. Dip one side into the lemon sugar and place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper, sugar side up.
These cookies don’t spread a lot, but I leave about 2″ of space between each cookie.
Bake the lemon sugar cookies for 8 – 10 minutes at 400 degrees. The bottoms will turn a light golden brown and the tops will stay soft.
Remove them immediately to a cooling rack and cool completely.
If using the same pan to bake the second batch, let the pan cool down prior to loading up for the next round.
These lemon sugar cookies are great when they are still warm, but I prefer them cold with an even colder glass of milk.
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Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
The Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2/3 cup butter – melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lemon zest
The Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
The Lemon Sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 1/2 cup white sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the wet ingredients. Beat for 30 seconds to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl measure out the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients about 1/3 at a time, stopping between additions to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Once mixed refrigerate for an hour to set.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the lemon sugar by combining the two ingredients in a small bowl and mixing thoroughly.
- Roll the dough into 1″ balls and dip into the lemon sugar, shaking off any excess.
- Place the dough balls sugar side up on the cookie sheet with about 2″ between each cookie.
- Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown and the tops are still soft.
- Remove from the cookie sheet immediately and place on a cooling rack to cool.
- Enjoy with a large glass of ice cold milk.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.
Having just got a stand mixer I was looking for recipes to try. These are INSANELY good. Soft and fluffy inside and a light crunch outside. I had a few leftover balls which I left on a tray (uncovered) in the fridge then rolled them in sugar and baked a couple of days later, if anything they were even better than my first batches.
And sooooo easy to make!
Thanks for the delicious recipe, it translates well to Aussie measurements.
I”m so glad you enjoyed them!
We live in Minnesota but winter in Arizona where we have a great lemon tree. Before we leave AZ, I gather up all the lemons, place them in a cooler and bring them home where I zest and juice them. I freeze tablespoons of zest and the same of juice (the juice goes into ice cube trays which I freeze after using my FoodSaver. Works great and I have fresh, fresh, lemon zest and juice.
I made these cookies for a huge family get-together–about 75 people. It was a bring-your-own-pizza party; the cookies were a perfect ending to a great time. Even the toddlers and pre-schoolers loved the cookies.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe; I especially like the lemon-sugar topping.
Naner – Thanks for sharing your story! I’m glad to hear the cookies were enjoyed and that your lemons never go to waste. A bring your own pizza party sounds like a blast!
Oh wow, these sound rather lovely! Little morsels of lemony awesomeness!
Thank you Elizabeth!
Oh what a delicious cookie!
Thank you Valentina!