“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Or even better, Lemon Sugar Cookies! There’s just something about the bright, fresh color, taste and smell of lemons, isn’t there? Lemons are definitely a happy food.
Several years ago, we took our kids on a trip. We can’t grow lemons at home, so imagine our delight when we discovered that the apartment we’d rented had a little terrace with a tiny lemon grove growing next to it! There were literally lemons hanging through the trellis above our heads. We were thrilled. The owners gave us permission to pick as many lemons as we wanted, and, oh man, did we ever! We made pasta with lemons, garlic and parmesan, fresh-squeezed lemonade, artichokes dipped in lemon butter and all sorts of luscious treats, including this perennial fave of ours, the Lemon Sugar Cookie…
That’s the beauty of the lemon…it’s like the jack of all trades in the fruit world! Appetizers, drinks, salads, pastas, meat marinades, dessert…it’s a little powerhouse that can be used in pretty much any food group you can imagine.
That lovely little lemon.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, slightly softened but still cold
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- Zest from two lemons
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3 cups flour
- Approx. 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla, eggs, juice and zest and blend.
- Add dry ingredients (except powdered sugar) and blend just until combined.
- Place powdered sugar in bowl.
- Form heaping teaspoons of dough and roll in powdered sugar.
- Place on greased cookie sheets (or use parchment or baking mats).
- Bake 8-9 minutes.
Notes
*It is essential to use fresh lemon juice and lots of zest! That's what make these so amazingly delicious.
*Don't over bake. These cookies will still be pale when they are done. If they brown at all, they'll be tough.
*Lemon cookies freeze very well, and can be doubled for a crowd.
8 Comments
As soon as I hear lemons I’m sold 😀 They look so yummy! You two really have the best recipes on your blog! x Jen
Jen, thank you so much for the nice compliment! We think these are super addictive…hope you love them:)
Oooh the perfect spring dessert!! Love lemon in baked goods 🙂
Look Delicious! Can’t wait to try these out!
Caroline, hope you love them!
These are super yellow and make me happy 🙂 Thanks for the perfect spring recipe
I just bought a huge bag of lemons because they were on sale. Looks like I will be making these this weekend, hopefully I can bring spring when I make them. It was snowing where I live this morning. 🙁
So sorry about your weather! No fun. Hopefully these will bring you some sunshine!