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4.50 from 4 votes

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies are soft sugar cookies with just a touch of lemon flavor and covered with a lovely pale yellow lemon frosting.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time32 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Lemon Sugar Cookies
Servings: 30
Calories: 350kcal
Author: Amanda Rettke--iambaker.net

Ingredients

LEMON SUGAR COOKIE

  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (94 g) confectioners' sugar
  • ¾ cup (168 g) vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 ½ cups (688 g) all-purpose flour

LEMON FROSTING

  • ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (173 g) sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract
  • 4-5 cups (500 g-625 g) confectioners' sugar
  • 1 drop yellow food coloring

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

SUGAR COOKIES

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar, and mix until just combined.
  • Drizzle in oil and pour in eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract, and mix well.
  • In a bowl add the cream of tartar and salt to the flour and roughly sift.
  • Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture and allow the mixer to combine until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer bowl.
  • Using an ice cream/cookie scoop, scoop out golf-ball size portions on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  • Roll out each cookie dough ball until it is smooth and round.
  • Using a kitchen glass that has been pressed into granulated sugar, press down on each cookie dough ball until the center of the cookie is pressed flatter than the edges. Repeat this on all cookies.
  • Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges are just slightly starting to brown and center no longer appears wet. Allow the cookies to cool as you make the frosting.
  • NOTE: It is important to not over-bake the cookies. Be sure to check your cookies at 7 minutes. Every oven is different and overbaking can result in a tough, crumbly, tasteless cookie. Let your first batch be a test batch so you can ensure the remaining cookies are perfect and soft!

LEMON FROSTING

  • In a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and lemon extract.
  • Once ingredients are fully incorporated, start adding the confectioners' sugar, about a 1/2 cup at a time. (You may not need all 5 cups. Keep an eye on the frosting to determine when it has reached your desired consistency. If it gets too be too thick you can add some milk to loosen.)
  • Add in one drop of yellow food coloring for the soft yellow color.
  • Spread on cooled cookies using an offset spatula.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal