frosted lemon sugar cookies
These Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and bursting with bright lemon flavor. Made with a soft lemon sugar cookie base and topped with a dreamy lemon buttercream, they’re basically sunshine in cookie form.
The most delicious spring cookies
A few things just came together. peanut butter and chocolate. strawberries and cream. Mary Kate and Ashley. Lemon and sugar cookies. Sweet, buttery cookies pair perfectly with citrus tartness to create brightly colored, soft, and outrageously delicious cookies. The cookies have quickly become one of my favorite treats to make for all the lemon lovers out there. And by “the lemon lover in my life” I obviously mean…myself.
It starts with a soft lemon sugar cookie dough and bakes into a soft, tender cookie with a little bit of chew. Then top each cookie with a fluffy cloud of lemon buttercream frosting. These cookies can be enjoyed with frosting, but they’re just as delicious plain.
Same as grocery store bakery, but better
Remember those soft sugar cookies sold in supermarket bakeries? The ones with a thick layer of frosting and sprinkles on top? Yes, of course it is. These Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies are basically a nostalgic treat, but they’re homemade and a million times more delicious.
It’s soft, buttery, citrusy, and even more delicious. There are no hard-to-pronounce ingredients or artificial aftertastes. Listen, I don’t hate supermarket cookies, but I can’t deny that real butter, fresh lemon, and simply ingredients found in the grocery store tend to be more palatable to adult palates.
What ingredients do I need to make these lemon sugar cookies?
The ingredient list for these cookies is simple, but each plays an important role in creating the perfect soft texture and bold lemon flavor. If you have any alternatives, please feel free to ask in the comments anytime.
Here’s the shopping list:
Unsalted butter Granulated sugar Eggs Fresh lemon zest Fresh lemon juice Vanilla extract Lemon extract (optional) Cake flour Baking powder Baking soda Salt Powdered sugar Milk
How to peel a lemon
The lemon zest is the star of these cookies, so be sure to have a zester handy. Thanks to the natural lemon oil, it has a great real lemon flavor.
So how do you peel a lemon? No, it’s not a stupid question. It’s actually very, very simple. Just wash the fruit and whip up the zester. If you don’t have a zester, I highly recommend investing in one, but you can also use a microplane. In times of desperation, I’ve even used a fine-mesh cheese grater, and it works just fine. Hold the zester at an angle and pull the lemon sideways until you reach the white of the rind. Rotate the lemon and repeat until you have gone all the way around the fruit. All of the peel will collect on the back side, so just rub it into the fabric.
How to store lemon sugar cookies for best results
These lemon sugar cookies will stay soft and tender for several days if stored correctly. Read our top tips for extending the life of your cookies.
Underbake the cookies a little: Underbaking the cookies a little will help the centers stay super soft and chewy for several days. It will continue to bake as it cools, so the center should still be quite soft when you remove it from the oven. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or plastic bag. I like to store these cookies in a single layer in the refrigerator in an airtight container or plastic bag. If sealed tightly, it will last for about a week! If you want to prepare ahead of time, freeze without frosting. If you want to split up the work of these cookies, you can make the cookies ahead of time and freeze them until frosted. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container.
Happy baking, lemon lovers!
XXX
For lemon cookies
1 cup granulated sugarenthusiasm 2 lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butterat room temperature
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Lemon extract (optional)
2 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
For lemon frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butterat room temperature
3 cup powdered sugarenthusiasm 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Let’s set it aside. Add sugar and lemon zest to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Use your fingers to rub together until fragrant, infusing the zest into the sugar. Add the butter and oil to a bowl and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract. Whisk over medium heat until mixture is fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed, making sure there are no streaks of flour left. Use a 1 1/2-ounce cookie scoop to distribute equal amounts of dough (a large spoon will also work; the balls should be about 3 tablespoons). Roll the dough between your palms to smooth the edges and place the dough on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and the edges look set but the centers are still soft and pale in color. The cookies will continue to harden as they cool, so wait until they are completely cool on the baking sheet. Once the cookies are cool, make the lemon frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, vanilla, salt, and yellow food coloring (if using). Beat on low speed, then gradually increase to medium-high speed until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute. Use an offset spatula to frost each cookie. Top with more sprinkles and lemon zest. enjoy!
