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These iced lemon cookies are the kind people remember after the plate is empty. Soft in the center, lightly crisp at the edges and finished with a bright lemon glaze that sets cleanly instead of sliding off. Sweet without being cloying and citrus-forward without tipping into candy territory.
This recipe came to us after an editor took on a consulting project with a packaged cookie company. Boxes of iced lemon cookies started arriving at the office and a quiet obsession followed. When we asked for the recipe, Pastry Chef Leah Kuo told us the packaged cookie was inspired by a homemade version that was equally craving-worthy.
This is that recipe.
Why this recipe works
Most lemon iced cookies miss the mark in one of two ways. The lemon barely shows up or it overwhelms everything else. This recipe gets the balance right.
Fresh lemon zest is worked directly into the sugar to release aromatic oils before baking. Lemon juice is used with restraint so the dough stays tender instead of fragile. A short chill keeps the cookies from spreading too thin while preserving a soft center.
When they are ready to come out of the oven, the cookies should look pale in the center with just a touch of color at the edges. Pulling them early is intentional. They finish setting as they cool, which keeps the interior soft rather than dry.
The result is a cookie with enough structure to support icing and enough moisture to stay satisfyingly chewy.
The glaze makes the cookie
The lemon glaze is not a decoration. It is where the citrus really shows up. Tart, smooth and just thick enough to hold its shape, it sets into a delicate shell that cracks ever so slightly when you bite in. The cream cheese adds body and softens the acidity of the fresh lemon juice without dulling the spark of citrus.
Glaze only fully cooled cookies and give the icing time to set. Rushing either of these steps flattens both texture and flavor.
Make-ahead and storage notes
The lemon sugar cookie dough can be prepared ahead and chilled until ready to bake, up to 24 hours. Once glazed and fully set the cookies keep well at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies unglazed in an air-tight container for up to one month and finish them with icing after thawing.
If you love this recipe, don’t miss Leah Kuo’s Classic Fruit Tart.
Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies
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Soft iced lemon sugar cookies with a bright citrus glaze and tender centers. Fresh lemon zest perfumes the dough while a tart lemon icing adds contrast and snap, creating lemon iced cookies that taste balanced, fresh and irresistibly craveable.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar divided (1 c for the dough, 1/4 c for rolling)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- zest from two lemons
Icing for the cookies:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cream cheese softened
Instructions
Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions, and heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
Zest lemons with microplane; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed Add egg; beat at medium speed until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill for an hour.
Roll half ounce balls of dough and roll them in remaining quarter cup sugar. Space balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Press gently with the bottom of a water glass to a half inch thickness.
Bake until cookies are golden brown around the edges and just set and very lightly colored in the center, approx. 9 minutes, reversing position of cookie sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time.
Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes at room temperature. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
10. While cookies are cooling, combine cream cheese and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.
11. Spoon a half tsp. glaze onto completely cooled cookies and gently spread with the back of a spoon. Allow glaze to harden several hours at room temperature for best results.
Notes
Once the glaze has dried, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container. If you need to stack them, put a piece of wax paper between layers to prevent the glaze from sticking.
A note on the provided nutrition information
The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Nutrition
Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.4mg
We published this recipe in 2011 but removed it from the site for many years. This version has new images, a new introduction and updated instructions.
Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.
Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley’s Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley’s Pocket Vineyard for Palm.
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