Soft & Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
These Soft & Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies are bright, citrusy, and absolutely irresistible. Made with fresh lemon zest and juice, they bake up with pillowy-soft centers, slightly crisp sugar-coated edges, and a gorgeous crinkle top — all in under 30 minutes with no chilling required. Whether you're baking for a spring brunch, a cookie swap, or just a weekday treat, this easy recipe delivers bakery-quality cookies every single time.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer A large bowl and wooden spoon can be used instead
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl For dry ingredients
- Citrus zester or microplane For zesting the lemons
- Citrus juicer or fork For juicing the lemons
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop 1.5 tablespoon size recommended for uniform cookies
- Rimmed baking sheets Two recommended for baking in batches
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
- Small shallow bowl For the rolling sugar
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 280g; spoon and level — do not scoop directly from bag
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 170g; softened to room temperature — not melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature; adds richness and chewiness
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest packed; from about 2 lemons
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract optional; for extra lemon intensity
- 1-2 drops yellow food coloring optional
For Rolling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g; for rolling the dough balls before baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats — do not grease.
- Using a microplane, zest 2 large lemons to get 1 packed tablespoon of zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Juice the lemons to yield 2 tablespoons of fresh juice and set both aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in the egg and egg yolk until incorporated, then mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, lemon extract (if using), and food coloring (if using) on low speed until just combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until just combined — stop as soon as no flour streaks remain to avoid overworking the dough.
- Pour the ¼ cup of rolling sugar into a shallow bowl. Scoop 1.5-tablespoon portions of dough, roll each into a smooth ball, then roll fully in the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly glossy and underdone. Do not overbake — the cookies will continue to set on the hot pan.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving — they firm up to their final soft-and-chewy texture as they cool.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients matter: Softened butter and room temperature eggs cream together properly and produce a more even, tender cookie. Pull them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off with a straight edge — never scoop directly from the bag, which can pack in up to 20% extra flour and result in dry, dense cookies.
- Don't skip the lemon zest: The zest carries the most concentrated lemon oil and is responsible for the bright, fresh flavor. Fresh lemons only — no jarred or dried zest substitutes.
- Don't overmix once flour is added: Stop mixing as soon as the flour streaks disappear. Overmixed dough develops gluten and produces tough cookies.
- Pull them early: Cookies should look slightly underdone and glossy in the center when you remove them from the oven. They will set to a perfect soft-and-chewy texture as they cool.
- For thicker cookies: Refrigerate the shaped, sugar-coated dough balls for 20 to 30 minutes before baking. Cold dough spreads more slowly, resulting in a taller, puffier cookie.
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a slice of white bread to the container to keep cookies soft.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze fully cooled cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-top bag. They keep for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Freezing unbaked dough: Freeze sugar-coated dough balls on a sheet pan, then bag once solid. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.
- Boost the lemon flavor: For an even more intense lemon taste, increase zest to 1½ tablespoons, add 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract, or mix a teaspoon of lemon zest directly into the rolling sugar.
Nutrition
Serving: 1CookieCalories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 1.7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.6gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 4mg
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