Description
Make bright, soft, and chewy lemon sugar cookies with a crackled sugar coating. These are simple to prepare and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar for lemon sugar
- 2–3 teaspoons fresh lemon zest for lemon sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar for cookies
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest for cookies
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons (409 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and zest for the lemon sugar in a bowl. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers until fragrant and well combined. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease them with cooking spray.
- In an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix for 1-2 minutes until the batter lightens in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed; the batter may look slightly curdled.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. Stop mixing when no dry streaks remain.
- Scoop the cookie dough into rounded balls, about 2 tablespoons in size.
- Stir or crumble the lemon sugar to break up any clumps. Roll the cookie dough balls in the lemon sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheets a couple inches apart, about 12 cookies per sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until slightly crackly on top. Do not over bake.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For the softest cookies, make sure your butter is softened to room temperature but not overly soft or melted.
- If you prefer a stronger lemon flavor, use the higher amount of zest listed for the lemon sugar.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 11 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: Lemon Sugar Cookies, Soft Chewy Cookies, Easy Cookie Recipe, Citrus Dessert, Homemade Cookies, Quick Dessert