These lemon sugar cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh citrus flavor thanks to real lemon zest and juice. An easy drop cookie that bakes up in minutes!

Stacked lemon sugar cookies on counter with top cookie broke in half to show soft, chewy texture.

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Soft and Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies

This lemon sugar cookie recipe makes tender cookies that melt in your mouth, just like my brown sugar cookies, but with a bright lemony twist. Each dough ball is rolled in a sugar and lemon zest mixture before baking, creating a sparkly crust with a sweet-tart flavor.

When you want a soft sugar cookie that feels a little extra special, these are the ones to bake.

Ingredient Notes

Lemon sugar cookies ingredients including butter, flour, sugar, lemon, egg and baking staples.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • All-purpose flour: It’s super important to learn how to measure flour correctly to get the texture of the cookies just right.
  • Granulated sugar: For sweetness in the cookie and for the coating on the outside.
  • Unsalted butter: Needs to be brought to room temperature so it’s easy to cream.
  • Grated lemon zest: Using fresh lemon zest provides lemon flavor without it being overly sour or citrusy. It’ll be used in the cookies as well as coating the outside (just like the sugar).
  • Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed from the same lemon you’re using for zest! It’ll taste so much better than bottled lemon juice.

How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar first.

Then, add the egg, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Slowly add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes. 

Lemon sugar cookie dough in a bowl showing the addition of lemon zest and juice.

In a smaller bowl, mix the sugar and lemon zest. Use your hands to rub the mixture between your fingers to bring out the essence of the lemon zest. It should become fragrant.

Roll 1 1/2″ dough balls in the coating.

Rolling cookie dough ball into granulated sugar with lemon zest.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and add the lemon sugar cookie dough balls to prepared baking trays, about 2″ apart. Leaving room for a bit of spreading.

Lemon sugar cookie dough balls on baking sheet.

Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly golden. Let them cool on a wire rack.

Lemon sugar cookies on the counter showing sparkling sugar and zest on tops with fresh lemon slices nearby.

Recipe Tips

  • Use a cookie scoop.  This will help you make sure each cookie is the same size. This will help ensure that all cookies in the batch are evenly baked.
  • Do not overbake the cookies. Take the cookies out of the oven before they turn golden brown. Sugar cookies are known for this, so even if they appear to be underdone, they’ll be ok!
  • Bars. Instead of rolling them into cookies, make sugar cookie bars using a rimmed baking sheet. 
  • Lemon frosting. Top the lemon sugar cookies with light and fluffy lemon cream cheese frosting. A lemon glaze would also be delicious.

Storing and Freezing

  • Store: Keep cooled lemon sugar cookies in an airtight container and leave it at room temperature for up to four days. 
  • To freeze baked cookies: Layer them with parchment paper or wax paper so they won’t freeze stuck together. That way you can take out a few at a time or as many as you need without having to thaw them all. Keep them frozen for up to 3 months!
  • To freeze cookie dough: Roll the lemon cookie dough into balls and coat in sugar and lemon zest. Place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze until solid. Place in a freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen increasing baking time a few minutes.
Stacked close up photo of lemon sugar cookies with top cookie broke in half to show texture.

More lemon cookie recipes include: lemon cake mix cookies, glazed lemon cookies or lemon crinkle cookie recipe. 

More Lemon Recipes

Stacked lemon sugar cookies on counter.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

5 from 14 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Chill Time + Cool Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Servings: 36
These lemon sugar cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh citrus flavor thanks to real lemon zest and juice. An easy drop cookie that bakes up in minutes!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup (2 sticks; 226 grams) unsalted butter , at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 Tablespoons grated lemon zest
  • 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 cups (395 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

For Rolling

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream 1 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar together on medium speed 2 minutes. Add one egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 2-3 Tablespoons lemon zest, and 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice. Mix in 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt just until combined. Add the remaining 2 cups flour and mix until no flour streaks remain. Chill at least 15 minutes, but up to 1 hour.
  • In a small bowl, rub 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest into 1/4 cup sugar with your fingers until it becomes fragrant.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Drop into the sugar mixture and roll until coated. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 66mg, Potassium: 26mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 172IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

FAQs

Do I have to roll the cookies in sugar?

Yes, rolling the dough balls in the sugar and lemon zest mixture adds a sparkly crust and extra burst of flavor. Without it, the lemon sugar cookies will still be soft and delicious, but they won’t have the same bright citrus finish.

Why do I need to chill the dough?

Chilling the dough briefly helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents too much spreading in the oven. It also gives the sugar and lemon zest mixture time to infuse more flavor into the dough, making every bite taste extra bright.

How should I store these cookies?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy, and the lemon flavor will continue to shine.

Can I freeze lemon sugar cookies?

Absolutely. Once baked and cooled, place the cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls and bake straight from frozen, just add a couple extra minutes of bake time.