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These lemon sugar cookies put a bright and zesty spin on my favorite soft-baked sugar cookie recipe. They’re easy to make with real lemon juice and zest and topped with creamy lemon frosting.
Thick and soft lemon sugar cookies are the best of my zesty lemon crinkle cookies and classic frosted sugar cookies, all in one!

Table of Contents
These soft and sweet lemon sugar cookies are about to steal the show at every cookie exchange or potluck this season! A fresh and zesty twist on classic sugar cookies, they have bright, tart lemon infused throughout and a rich, creamy lemon frosting smeared on top. All it takes is a sprinkle of yellow sanding sugar to have these lemon sugar cookies ready for the party. Best of all, they’re the easiest to make!
Why I Love These Lemon Sugar Cookies
- No chilling the dough. These drop sugar cookies don’t require any chilling time in the fridge. The dough is ready to go as soon as it’s mixed.
- Fresh lemon flavor. Real lemon juice and fresh lemon zest pack these soft sugar cookies full of zesty citrus. There’s nothing like the real thing here, so I HIGHLY recommend fresh lemon and not bottled lemon juice in this recipe. You’ll taste the difference!
- Creamy icing. The homemade lemon frosting that I use for these lemon sugar cookies is out-of-this-world delicious. It’s sweet, creamy, and zingy from the lemon. It takes these cookies totally over the top.
What You’ll Need
I love the way the tart lemon balances the sugary sweetness of these lemon cookies perfectly. The secret to all that flavor and these cookies’ soft, thick texture comes down to a few key ingredients, which I cover with some notes here. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe details.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter. Take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time to soften to room temperature.
- Eggs – These can also be at room temperature.
- Lemon – You’ll need the zest and juice from a fresh lemon. Zest the lemon before you juice it!
- Dry Ingredients – Granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Check the expiration date on your baking powder to ensure it’s fresh.
- Frosting – You can frost these lemon sugar cookies or leave them unfrosted. I have included the recipe for my easy lemon frosting, just in case! All you need is softened butter, powdered sugar, and additional lemon juice and lemon zest. You may also need milk (any kind) to thin out the frosting.
How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies
These lemon sugar cookies come together in three easy steps. They’re the kind of cookie that’s great for last-minute holiday baking! Follow along below, and scroll to the printable recipe card for the step-by-step instructions.
- Mix the cookie dough. Start by creaming together butter and sugar until that’s light and fluffy. Next, beat in the eggs along with the lemon juice and zest. Lastly, add the dry ingredients and mix to form the dough.
- Portion the cookies. Now, scoop the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons in size, and place the cookies on a lined baking sheet. Gently press the top of each cookie with the bottom of a glass (or use your hands) to flatten it slightly.
- Bake. Bake these lemon sugar cookies for 9-10 minutes until they’re set at the edges. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before you move them to a wire rack.
Easy Lemon Frosting
If you’re frosting your sugar cookies, wait until they’ve cooled completely. Then, follow the steps below to make the creamy lemon frosting:
- Combine. Add the frosting ingredients to a bowl, and beat everything together until it’s silky smooth and spreadable. You may need to add milk, one spoonful at a time, if the consistency of the frosting is too thick.
- Frost the cookies. Last but not least, use a spatula or a knife to spread a generous layer of lemon frosting over each lemon cookie. Sprinkle the tops with yellow sanding sugar or sprinkles, and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Use room temperature ingredients. Take ingredients like butter and eggs out of the fridge ahead of time so that they can warm to room temperature. This way, they’ll be easier to mix.
- Zest correctly. When you’re zesting the lemon for the dough and frosting, be careful to avoid the white pith beneath the yellow skin. The white part tends to be bitter. Meanwhile, the outer yellow part is where all those zesty oils are.
- Try not to overmix. As with most baked goods, the key to soft, tender homemade sugar cookies is not to overmix the cookie dough.
- Don’t overbake. Very important! These sugar cookies have the best soft texture because they’re slightly underbaked. As soon as the tops of the cookies look dry and the edges are set, they’re done. The cookies continue to set up on the baking sheet, too, so it’s crucial to pull them from the oven before they’re baked all the way through.
- Make bigger cookies. I make these lemon sugar cookies a pretty standard, homemade cookie size (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie). If you’d prefer to bake these as big, bakery-style cookies, you can double up on the scoops of dough. Remember to add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time, though.
- Make sugar cookie bars. To make lemon sugar cookie bars instead of individual cookies, press the lemon cookie dough into a baking pan and follow the directions for my frosted sugar cookie bars.
How to Store
- At room temperature. If you’ve frosted these lemon sugar cookies, I recommend letting the frosting firm up before you store them. Keep the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freeze. It’s best to freeze these lemon cookies before they’re frosted. Transfer the cooled cookies to a freezer bag or airtight container and keep them frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookies in the fridge before frosting and/or serving.
More Lemon Desserts
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons milk, if necessary
- Yellow sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Cream together butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat until the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until it just forms a dough.
- Scoop out about 2 tablespoon balls of dough and place on lined baking sheet. Use your hand or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to gently press down the balls of dough. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until they appear dry on top and the edges are set.
- Remove and let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, make the frosting by mixing everything together until spreadable and desired consistency. Add milk if the frosting is too thick.
- Spread over the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with yellow sugar and let the frosting firm up before storing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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