Lemon Cookies with Lemon Glaze (Print version)
Buttery, zesty cookies glazed with a sweet lemon icing—bright, tender treats for spring gatherings or afternoon tea.
# What goes in:
→ Lemon Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Lemon Glaze
11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2–3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, for extra flavor)
# Cooking steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the egg, lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until well combined and smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
08 - In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, adding the juice gradually until the desired drizzling consistency is reached. Stir in additional lemon zest if desired.
09 - Drizzle or spread the glaze over the completely cooled cookies. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature before serving.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The double hit of lemon in both the cookie and the glaze makes these impossibly bright and addictive.
- They come together in under 40 minutes with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry.
02 -
- If you glaze the cookies while they are even slightly warm the glaze will melt right off and pool uselessly on the rack.
- Mixing the dough past the point where the flour disappears makes the cookies tough and bready instead of soft and tender.
03 -
- Roll the dough balls between your palms until completely smooth and the baked cookies will have perfectly round, bakery style tops.
- Strain the glaze through a fine mesh sieve if you want a flawlessly smooth finish without any zest clumps.