Lemon Cookies

These Lemon Cookies are soft, melt-in-your-mouth lemon cookies that were inspired by Paradise Bakery's lemon cookie recipe!

I love the cookies at Paradise Bakery and Cafe, but we don't have one nearby. So, when I had a craving for their lemon cookies, I had to try to come up with my own version.

These Tart and Tangy Lemon Cookies weren't an exact copy, but they were really tasty and definitely satisfied my craving. They were also really soft and tender, which I love in a cookie.

The cookies have a buttery lemon flavor that makes them hard to resist. Feel free to dust them with powdered sugar for a bit of extra sweetness!

Ingredients and substitutions

• Butter - I use salted butter. If you're using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt along with the flour and baking powder.
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Large eggs
• Fresh lemon juice - Depending on the size of your lemons, you'll need about 2 lemons. I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice as bottled lemon juice can have an off flavor to it.
• Lemon zest - Use less lemon zest for a milder lemon flavor and more lemon zest for a more lemon-y cookie.
• All-purpose flour - It's important to properly measure the flour to avoid doughy or dry cookies. To properly measure the flour, weight the flour or sift/stir it to break it up. Then lightly spoon into a measuring cup and level.
• Baking powder

How to make lemon cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, until blended.

Add lemon juice and zest, mixing until combined.

Whisk in the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour and baking powder). Mix until just blended. Don't overmix.

Cover and chill cookie dough for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Drop by 1.5 tablespoon scoops (a medium cookie scoop) onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake until edges are firm with no color, about 7-10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Once cool, dust with powdered sugar.

Tips

• Lemon flavor - The lemon juice and lemon zest both help to give the cookies their lemon flavor. If you would like a stronger lemon flavor, feel free to add ¼-1/2 teaspoon lemon flavor or lemon extract with the eggs.
• Texture - The dough is sticky. Chilling the dough helps make it easier to work with and helps the cookies to hold their shape.
  If your dough gets too warm or your cookies start to spread too much, simply cover and chill the dough again.
• Baking - The cookies will still look soft and a little underdone when they're finished baking. Slightly underbaking them helps to keep the cookies soft.

Storage

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

You may find that the powdered sugar "melts" in the cookies as they sit. Feel free to dust the cookies with powdered sugar again just before serving.

More lemon desserts!

If you’ve tried this lemon cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

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Originally published 2/6/12. Updated with new photos, tips, and information on 1/26/22.