These Glazed Lemon Cookies are perfectly chewy, bright and zesty, and topped with a simple lemon glaze! Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for sharing.
These lemon recipes are sunshine in dessert form: Lemon Cheesecake Bars, Frosted Lemon Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, and dreamy Lemon Lush!
These Glazed Lemon Cookies are chewy, tender cookies with crisp edges and a gentle lemon flavor and a quick lemon glaze on top. My kids can barely wait for it to set before sneaking a cookie off the rack!
These cookies are just as easy as your favorite chocolate chip recipe, but they look so pretty on a platter and are a hit year-round.
Plus, they freeze perfectly, so you can always have a stash tucked away for lunchboxes, snacks, or a quick dessert with coffee!
Lemon Cookies Ingredients:
- Fresh lemons, zested and juiced: Fresh lemon juice and zest are what give these cookies their sunny flavor! Don’t use bottled lemon juice because you’ll need the zest for the cookies and glaze, so fresh is best.
- Unsalted butter, softened: This gives your cookies a soft, rich texture. If you only have salted butter, just reduce the added salt a little.
- Brown sugar (packed) and granulated sugar: Brown sugar keeps the cookies chewy, while granulated sugar adds sweetness and that classic cookie texture.
- Large eggs: These help bind everything together and make the cookies tender.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth. You can swap for lemon extract if you want an extra boost of citrus flavor.
- Salt and baking soda: Salt balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors, while baking soda gives the cookies a little rise.
How to make soft Lemon Cookies:
These cookies are ready in 30 minutes and taste like bite-sized sunshine! Don’t forget to check the recipe card for all the details.
- Cream wet ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Scoop or roll the dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
- Glaze the cookies.
Tips for the best Lemon Cookies:
- Do not overbake: Look for edges that are just starting to brown — it’s okay if the center is a little glossy as they will continue to set on the pan!
- Single layer storage: Store cookies in a single layer until the glaze sets, then stack between sheets of parchment.
How to store Lemon Cookies:
These cookies keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freeze extra cookies in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 4 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
Glazed Lemon Cookies
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 3 lemons,, zested and juiced (divided)
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar, (190g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar, (200g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, (390g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line four baking sheets with parchment paper, if desired.
- Zest and juice the lemons, reserving all and setting aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Reserve 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and the rest of the lemon zest and beat on low speed, until combined.
- Roll the cookie dough into balls (1½″ rounds) or scoop with a cookie scoop and place 2″ apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how large you made the cookies, until lightly golden at the edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before removing them from the pan to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar with the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest and just enough lemon juice to make a thick glaze. Spoon the glaze on top of the cooled cookies and allow to set before stacking or storing.
Notes
- Lemons: you can use lime or orange in this recipe as well.
- White chocolate chips are a fun addition and add a little extra sweetness.
- The glaze is optional, but the lemon flavor is relatively mild without it. If not glazing, feel free to add in a ¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon extract or additional zest.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tag @thereciperebelMake-ahead option:
You can prep the dough and refrigerate overnight, or scoop dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze. Then, bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Baked cookies (with or without glaze) freeze well, too, so you’re never far from a little lemony pick-me-up!
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