Published: · Modified: by Tasia · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments
Lemon cut-out sugar cookies are soft and thick and perfect for decorating {although they are amazing undecorated as well}! Top them with an easy lemon buttercream for the ultimate lemon buttercream sugar cookie!
If I could have only one dessert for the rest of my life, I think it would be sugar cookies. Thick, soft, and chewy buttercream sugar cookies. And with winter in full force this year, I'm definitely dreaming of spring.
Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The flavor of lemon always reminds me of warmer days and sunshine. So today I'm transporting us to the thought of short sleeves, the warmth of the sun on our skin and brighter days ahead. In cookie form, of course!
how do you make lemon cookies from scratch?
This lemon sugar cookie recipe is a variation of my tried and true always perfect sugar cookies. Lemon juice replaces the vanilla and the addition of lemon zest {this Microplane is my favorite zester} gives the cookies another burst of lemon flavor.
The recipe follows a traditional cookie preparation; cream butter and sugar, add egg and flavoring, followed by the dry ingredients. The dough needs a short rest {30 minutes or up to five days} in the refrigerator and then it's ready to roll, cut and bake.
let's make lemon sugar cookies!
Start by gathering your ingredients. The butter and egg work best when at room temperature. In most cases, letting these ingredients sit out for 1-2 hours will be sufficient.
First whisk the all-purpose flour and baking powder together. Doing this helps to ensure that the baking powder is equally dispersed throughout the finished dough. Set this aside while you cream together the butter, salt, sugars and lemon zest. Then add in the egg and lemon juice.
Next, add the flour mixture in 3-4 additions with the mixer on low. The dough will be finished when it starts to gather on the mixing beaters or paddle. The dough will be soft, but shouldn't be too sticky.
Gather the lemon sugar cookie dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and press into about a 1-inch disk. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out.
how to roll your sugar cookie dough
The trick to getting thick, soft and chewy sugar cookies is not rolling the dough too thin. I prefer about a ¼ inch thick. I use a traditional rolling pin and just eye-ball the thickness {I love this one my mom bought me from Williams Sonoma}. Many of my cookie friends swear by this rolling pin for getting evenly rolled cookie dough.
how do I know when my sugar cookies are done?
Another trick to soft and chewy sugar cookies is not over baking them. The bake time is quick on lemon cut-out sugar cookies; only 7-8 minutes in a 375°F oven.
They are done baking when the edges are set and the middle of the cookies have a slightly puffy center. {I use these Ateco fluted cutters and round biscuit cutters}.
The cookies will rest on the hot baking pan for 2 minutes, which helps to finish cooking the dough. After 2 minutes, remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
what buttercream frosting is best for lemon cut-out cookies?
I've paired this cookie recipe with my easy lemon buttercream frosting. The frosting is the perfect balance of sweet and tart and really gives these lemon sugar cookies an extra pop of lemon! If you prefer a more subtle combination, my favorite American buttercream is another great option.
what is the best way to store buttercream sugar cookies?
The cookies should stay fresh in an air tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to a week. To keep the cookies the absolute freshest, I would freeze them in an air tight container. They defrost at room temperature in about 30 minutes.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Lemon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more sugar cookie recipes ~
- Always Perfect Sugar Cookies
- Sprinkle Cookies
- Cinnamon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Easy and Fast Soft Drop Sugar Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
- White Chocolate Sugar Cookies
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugsplease come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Yield: 24 Cookies *depending on size of cookies
Lemon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Lemon sugar cookies are soft and thick and perfect for decorating {although they taste amazing left plain as well}! This easy recipe makes cookies that hold their shape and freeze beautifully!
Prep Time10 minutes
Bake Time8 minutes
Chill Time30 minutes
Total Time48 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (60g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 2 lemons*
- 1 large egg (preferably room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15mL)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder with a whisk. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add in sugars and lemon zest and beat until smooth, about 1 ½ minutes.Beat in egg and lemon juice and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. The dough should form a ball around the paddle when the mixing is finished. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disk. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes before rolling and for up to five days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness, use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all the dough is used.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until slightly puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.**
- Decorate as desired. Lemon Buttercream Frosting or Favorite American Buttercream are my favorites for this cookie recipe.
Notes
*My testing found this amount of lemon zest and lemon juice to be the right balance of sweet and tart. If you like an extra punch of lemon, you can increase the lemon zest and/or add ¼ -½ teaspoon of lemon extract.
**I like to freeze the cookies once they have completely cooled, I think it adds to the softness of the cookies. I typically bake the cookies at least a day prior to decorating them (or bake in the evening and freeze overnight). You can also bake the cookies and freeze them for up to 2-3 months before decorating.
Cookies will stay fresh in an air tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. If freezing decorated cookies, chill the cookies in a single layer. The cookies can then be stacked and frozen in an airtight container. When you take the frozen cookies out of the freezer, be sure to unstack them before they thaw or the buttercream will stick the cookies together. They defrost quickly; about 30 minutes at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 163Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 89mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.
