Perfectly Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies

These Perfectly Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies are soft, SUPER lemon-y and drizzled with a sweet citrus icing. Fresh lemon zest and lemon extract add a bright, tart flavor which brings balance to these sweet sugar cookies.

You'll love this recipe because it's super easy to make, creates a tender cookie texture and has a light, refreshing taste that mixes things up from the usual cookie recipes you whip up.

For more unique cookie flavors, try these matcha white chocolate chip cookies or these coconut macaroon cookies.

The Best Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies!

Drumroll please... These delicious iced lemon cookies are calling your name! If you love lemon desserts, you're going to swoon over these easy lemon cookies. This is a one-bowl recipe and calls for traditional ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!

Wondering how to stock your kitchen with all of the baking essential? Grab my free printable baking staples checklist here.

How To Make Perfectly Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies:

Are you excited to make this perfect lemon cookies yet?! This recipe just has 5 simple steps from start to finish and soon you'll be able to take a bite into one of your chewy citrus sugar cookies drizzled with a bright, lemon icing.

To start the cookie dough, beat softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until mixture becomes light and fluffy. The butter should lighten in color after a few minutes.

Next, add in the lemon zest, lemon extract and one egg and beat to combine.

Now it's time to mix in the dry ingredients. Rather than dirtying another bowl, I scoop my dry ingredients right into my mixer with the wet ingredients.

But I have a special trick for this step! After adding the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into your mixing bowl, use a small spoon to stir the rising agents into the top of the mound of flour. This helps evenly distribute the baking powder and soda into the dry ingredients so your cookie dough comes out perfectly!

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto two lined baking sheets. Place dough balls about 2" apart and leave rounded. You should have about 24 small cookies.

Bake your lemon cookies at 350F for 10 minutes. Don't overbake or they won't be as soft. Let the cookies cool completely before drizzling with the sweet lemon glaze.

Super Lemon-y Icing:

A drizzle of this lemon icing is a requirement, not a suggestion. It's just too perfect! If you didn't think these chewy lemon cookies were packed with enough lemon flavor yet, then trust me when I say you're going to love this bright lemon glaze.

To make the lemon icing, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Drizzle this delicious citrus glaze all over your perfect lemon cookies, the messier the better!

Everything You'll Need

For the cookie dough,

• Salted Butter: I always use salted butter because I love the combination of sweet and salty. You can also use unsalted butter if you'd like! Just add another pinch of salt.
• Granulated Sugar: We couldn't make a soft and chewy sugar cookie without any sugar! I use white sugar or cane sugar.
• Egg: You'll need one egg to form the cookie dough.
• Lemon Zest: Rinse and zest two lemons to enhance the citrus in this easy cookie recipe.
• Lemon Extract: This is the special ingredient that makes the lemon flavor pop in these chewy iced lemon cookies!
• All-Purpose Flour: (gluten-free if necessary) We prefer to use all-purpose flour to make light and fluffy cookies. Or you can use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are the rising agents in our chewy iced lemon cookies.
• Salt: Always add a pinch of salt to  balance out the sweetness.

For the lemon icing,

• Powdered Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Lemon Extract
• Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

Need to make a substitution?

No lemon extract?

Lemon extract is not an optional ingredient in this recipe. If you don't have lemon extract, add it to your next grocery list!

However, if you still do try making this recipe without it, I'd suggest increasing the lemon zest. You may be able to add a little lemon juice, but I have not tried this and expect it will react differently than the recommended lemon extract.

Gluten-free?

Substitute the all-purpose flour for this gluten-free flour!

More Cookie Recipes:

• One Bowl Vegan Flourless Chickpea Cookies
• Better Than Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Healthy Coconut Cookie Bars
• Soft and Fluffy Snickerdoodles

If you make these perfectly chewy iced lemon cookies, be sure to tag #bakedabundance on Instagram. We’d also love if you would leave a comment below and rate the recipe. We appreciate you! 

Print