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Lemon zest and juice bring a burst of brightness to these soft, pillowy cookies. Every bite is packed with fresh citrus and cooled off by a creamy homemade frosting on top. The buttery base and tangy topping work together for a treat that's chewy, sweet, and a little fancy any day.
I ran into these cookies while battling a gloomy stretch of cold weather—citrus gave me the lift I was after. I tweaked the lemon and texture until these cookies became my go-to whenever someone needed cheering up. Now my friends plead for them, saying just one bite feels like summer.
Extraordinary Ingredients
- Butter: The secret to tender cookies and rich taste—let it soften by just leaving it out on the counter. Skip the microwave shortcut since that can mess with the texture.
- Lemon: Go for bright yellow lemons that feel slightly soft when squeezed. Both the fragrant zest and sharp juice go into the cookies and the topping for maximum punch.
- Powdered sugar: Gives the frosting that super silky finish—just sift it before you measure so you don’t end up with weird lumps later.
Baking Directions
- Perfect Bake:
- Keep a close eye on the oven. You want golden edges but with centers that stay a bit soft. Take them out right at the sweet spot so they stay chewy, not crunchy as they cool.
- Shaping Dough:
- Make dough balls about an inch across by rolling them between your hands, so they all bake evenly. Pop them onto baking sheets lined with parchment and use your fingers to gently squish the tops flat for easy frosting later.
- Mixing Dry Stuff:
- Stir all your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl first. This spreads out the baking powder and whatnot, so every cookie comes out the same. Add them slowly to your wet mix, and only mix as much as you need, so you don’t wind up with tough cookies.
- Lemon Love:
- Mix your egg, fresh lemon zest, and squeezed lemon juice into the fluffy butter-and-sugar mixture. Let the natural oils from the zest really blend in, making sure the citrus flavor gets all the way through the dough.
- Butter Start:
- Cream your softened butter with sugar until it looks much paler and feels really fluffy. This step lets in plenty of air, which is the secret for cookies that are soft but keep their shape.
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My grandma was skeptical about swapping her classic chocolate chip for lemon, but after a few bites of these she changed her tune. She asked for the instructions, saying the punchy lemon just can’t be beat by chocolate.
Storage Tips
To keep these at their best, use airtight containers with parchment in between to keep the frosting from sticking. They’re fine a few days at room temp, longer in the fridge—just let them warm back up before eating. Got leftovers to stash? Freeze the cookies before you frost them, then frost after they’ve thawed completely.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I prep these lemon cookies in advance?
- Go for it! Bake the cookies up to three days before you need them. Keep plain cookies in a sealed container on your counter. Add frosting later and pop them in the fridge, but let them warm up a bit before you eat for best taste and softness.
- → Are these lemon cookies okay to freeze?
- Yep! Freeze baked unfrosted cookies after they've cooled, or stash dough balls in the freezer. Either way, they'll last a few months in a sealed container. If baking straight from frozen dough, just give them a couple more minutes in the oven.
- → What's the trick for getting extra lemon juice and zest?
- Scrub and dry your lemons, then use a fine grater—just take off the colored peel, not the bitter white part. For juicing, roll lemons on the counter to break them up a bit, then cut and squeeze. Room temp lemons give more juice than cold ones.
- → Can I bake these cookies without any frosting?
- Totally! They taste awesome on their own. Try rolling the dough balls in regular sugar before baking for a sparkly finish, or sprinkle cooled cookies with powdered sugar. Toss in some white chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy.
- → How can I tell when these cookies are baked just right?
- They're ready when the edges are getting light golden but the centers still look a little soft. Let them firm up on the baking sheet. Don't wait until they look dry, or you'll lose that chewy bite.