Description
This Lemon Sugar Cookie recipe delivers delightful, chewy cookies infused with fresh lemon zest and juice for a bright citrus flavor. Perfectly sweetened and rolled in sugar for a sparkling finish, these cookies are crisp on the edges yet tender inside. Chilling the dough ensures thicker, less spread-out cookies, making them ideal for gatherings or a refreshing treat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
Instructions
- Mix Butter, Sugar, and Lemon Zest: In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together for 1-2 minutes until fluffy and well combined.
- Add Lemon Juice and Egg: Incorporate the fresh lemon juice and egg into the mixture and beat again until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually blend in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt by hand using a spatula, mixing until the dough comes together uniformly.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes to firm it up and reduce spreading during baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Place the ¼ cup of sugar in a small bowl for rolling the cookie dough balls.
- Form and Roll Cookies: Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Place the sugared dough balls 2 inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet to allow space for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes or until the edges exhibit a faint golden color, indicating they are perfectly baked.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the cookie dough is key to getting chewier, thicker cookies as it prevents excessive spreading during baking. Even a brief chill of 15 minutes can improve texture if you’re short on time.
- If you prefer not to chill all the dough at once, consider refrigerating the dough between baking batches to maintain thickness and texture.
- This recipe adapts well to gluten-free baking; King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour works excellently as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 184
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 74mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 28mg
