Fresh Homemade Lemon Sugar Cookies

This lemon sugar cookie recipe makes the perfect spring and summer cookie that is refreshingly delicious and will have you making them as often as you can!

These Lemon Sugar Cookies will blow your mind! They are packed with that amazing sugar cookie flavor with the perfect amount of fresh lemon flavor that you never knew a sugar cookie needed! I absolutely love sugar cookies. They are one of my favorite cookies to eat and bake. I didn’t start making lemon sugar cookies until we bought lemon sugar cookie wax and whenever we would use it in our wax warmer my daughter would ask me to make some lemon sugar cookies.

So, I finally decided to make them for her using my own sugar cookie recipe and just adding in some freshly squeezed lemon juice and some fresh lemon zest. When I tell y’all that these cookies rocked my world I am not kidding. They are a part of my cookie rotation throughout the year. There can never be too much cookie dough in the freezer. Trust me on this one! This dough freezes up really well and you can keep it frozen until you are ready to eat them again which is music to my ears because with a small family of three, I find myself freezing a lot of my cookie dough and using it for later.

The ingredients for these cookies are simple. I like to use vanilla extract and almond extract in my recipe because it is a sugar cookie after all and those are two important ingredients in my sugar cookie recipe. I also use freshly squeezed lemon juice that has been strained because while lemon extract is a quick and easy way to add lemon flavor, it does not compare to the taste of freshly squeezed lemon juice! The same goes with the lemon juice in the bottle. Not the same flavor at all. Of course, a little lemon zest adds a bit more of a lemon kick but not too much.

Ingredients in Lemon Sugar Cookies

Unsalted Butter- I use unsalted butter because sugar cookies only need a small amount of salt in them and it’s best not to overdo it.

Granulated Sugar- I use granulated sugar for the sweetness of the cookies.

Dark Brown Sugar- I use dark brown sugar to add to the chewiness of the cookies.

Egg- The egg helps bind everything together to form the cookie dough.

Vanilla Extract- This gives the cookies flavor and if you follow my recipes then you know I pop this in almost all of my sweet treats!

Almond Extract- This gives the cookies that authentic sugar cookie flavor because these are lemon sugar cookies not just lemon cookies!

Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice- I use freshly squeezed lemon juice because it is without a doubt better than any other lemon alternative and gives the perfect amount of lemon flavor without it becoming sour and distasteful.

Lemon Zest- This gives the cookies more of a lemon kick without overpowering the cookie.

All-Purpose Flour- Flour is needed in every cookie recipe and I always use all-purpose flour for my cookies.

Baking Soda- This helps your cookies rise up to the occasion!

Baking Powder- This also helps your cookies rise.

Salt- Salt adds perfect balance to all of the flavors in the cookies and is that secret ingredient you never knew sweets needed.

Tips for the Best Lemon Sugar Cookies

• Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. I know I have mentioned this a thousand times earlier in this blog, but it really makes all the difference.
• Lemon zest is needed for fresh lemon flavor as well. If you skip the lemon zest the lemon flavor will be there but extremely subtle.
• Do not overbake your cookies. This all depends on the size of your cookies. When baking it is best to start out with a low number on your timer and check to see if you need to add time rather than accidently overbaking the cookies.
• You can add sprinkles or roll them in granulated sugar right before baking them for decoration or more sweetness.
• Make sure to chill the dough before baking. I usually just chill my cookie dough overnight and bake them the next day.

How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies

1. Take your butter out of the refrigerator and allow it to soften at room temperature. It’s good to take it out the morning that you plan to make the cookies or overnight if you plan on making them in the morning.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt so that it is all combined evenly.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together your butter, sugars, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.
4. Mix in your freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest until combined.
5. Add in your egg and mix it until combined. Do not overmix it.
6. Mix in your dry ingredients, half of the mixture at a time so that you don’t get a cloud of flour everywhere.
7. Chill your cookie dough for at least 1 hour.
8. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
9. Prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spoon your cookie dough in the desired size into your hand and roll it into a ball. Place the balls onto the parchment lined cookie sheet.
10. Bake them for about 12 mins at 350 degrees until they have slightly brown edges and still very soft to the touch. Remember smaller cookies need less time and larger cookies need more time.
11. Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool while still on the cookie sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack.
12. Serve while still warm or cool and enjoy!