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Lemon Sugar Cookies

Lemon sugar cookies with soft, pillowy centers and crackled sugary tops, finished with a bright lemon glaze drizzle. This easy lemon sugar cookie recipe chills the dough for scoopable balls and bakes just until the edges set while centers stay slightly underdone.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 155
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie dough
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large eggs
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 extra sugar for rolling granulated sugar for coating
Lemon glaze
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cookie dough
  1. Beat butter and granulated sugar until very fluffy. Mix in eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, then continue until the mixture looks light and cohesive.
  2. Stir in all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a dough forms. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes until firm. The dough should be easier to roll and hold its shape.
Shape and bake
  1. Roll dough into 1.5-inch balls. Roll each ball in extra sugar for rolling so the tops look lightly coated before baking.
  2. Place the balls on parchment-lined sheet pans. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are just set but centers look underdone for a soft, chewy finish.
  3. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan or a rack. Wait until fully cool so the glaze won’t melt away.
Glaze
  1. Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. The glaze should pour thickly but look glossy.
  2. Drizzle the lemon glaze over cooled cookies. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes before serving so it forms a crackled, bright top layer.

Notes

For the best crackled sugary tops, don’t skip coating the balls in extra sugar and keep the dough well chilled so the shape stays round. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; glaze is best within 1–2 days. Freeze baked, unglazed cookies for up to 2 months, thaw, then glaze fresh. If you want a more tart flavor, add an extra 1/2 tsp lemon zest to the glaze.