Lemon Butter Cookies – Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe

A butter cookie that melts in the mouth with the rich flavor of fresh lemon zest and juice. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for lemon butter cookies is as easy as a cookie recipe can get. Takes no special skills, techniques or tools and gets done in less than half an hour.

Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Cookie Recipe

There was a time when I would frown at the thought of lemon in my cookies. I do love lemon and I can eat lemon curd from a jar with a spoon. And yet, somehow the idea of cookies and lemon flavor did not go well until one day I tasted these. I had them in Amsterdam and they were served with a Lemon Mousse! I know!! Not really what I would serve with my lemon mousse but I must admit it did go well together. That day, I decided I would make lemon cookies. I tried a few good recipes over the years but there is something about my butter cookies that just go so well with the lemon flavor. You have to try it to know what I mean.

I honestly didn’t’ know what better to name them than simply to call them what I know – lemon butter cookies. Because they are a variation of my butter cookies.  So, I hope you like the name and I do hope you try these delicious cookies.

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe | Lemon cookie recipe |Zestly lemon cookie

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe | lemon cookie, lemon cookie recipe

Recipe – Lemon Butter Cookies – Zesty Lemon Cookies (save/Pin)

Useful Tips and Tools

• I’m not a slave to mixers. And yet, when you need some good creaming I have to insist that you use the K-Mix or Kitchen Aid.
• A good baking tray is always important. Try using a light colored baking trayBaking tray. Another option is to line the baking tray with Parchment Paper.
• If you aren’t going to fill or decorate these cookies a regular rolling pin will work just fine. And yet, a Cookie rolling pin has the side spacers that will also help you with rolling. So all your cookies are leveled and bake evenly.
• Also, it is really important to cool cookies completely on all sides as soon as they come out of the oven. So take them off the baking tray to prevent them cooking further and place them on an Cooking rack so they air circulates on all sides. This prevents steam from going back into the cookie thus…… keeping them crispy not soggy.
• Always bake cookies on the center rack of your Oven. If you have more than one tray simply bake them one at a time. You can bake two trays at the same time, and yet this can lead to some of the cookies in the bottom tray spreading too much. Also, you can rotate the trays during the baking. This is helpful with some cookies.
• Most cookies usually bake between 10 to 12 minutes. These took me about 10 minutes. Since cookies bake quickly they can also get over-baked. This is due to our tendency to get distracted at the last minute. Hence, my solution is a kitchen timer that is always set to 10 minutes. I turn it on as soon as I place the cookies in the oven. This has saved me many cookies since my kids always keep me busy.

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe |Zesty lemon cookie recipe

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter  – 228 grams (2 sticks)
• Powdered sugar – 125 grams (0.6 cups)
• All-purpose flour – 220 grams (1.8 cups)
• Baking powder – 1/4 tsp
• Semolina – 30 grams (2 tbsp)
• Egg yolk – 1 large
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• Lemon zest – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Lemon extract – 1/2 tsp
• Yellow food color – 1 drop (optional)
• Powdered sugar – 30 grams (for coating)

Method

Prepare

• Combine together the flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt.
• Set aside.

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe

Prepare Cookie dough

• Lightly cream together butter and powdered sugar.
• Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, zest, and food color if using – combine well.
• Gently fold in the flour mixture.
• Lastly, add the lemon extract.
• Gather into a ball, wrap in a plastic wrap.
• Chill dough for 15 to 20 minutes until firm.

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe |lemon cookie recipe

Make balls and coat cookies

• Preheat the oven to 180 C / 360 F.
• Roll small portions of chilled dough into balls with your hands.
• Roll into powdered sugar.
• Place on a cookie tray.

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe | Lemon cookie recipe

Bake

• Bake in a preheated oven on the middle shelf.
• Depending on the size of your cookies and the oven they take – 8 to 10 minutes.
• Mine took 8 minutes – watch the sides – a slight color on the sides is all it needs.
• Cool on a wire rack before you store them in a cookie jar.

Lemon Butter Cookies, Easy Lemon cookies recipe | lemon cookie recipe | zesty lemon cookie

Storage

• These will stay good for about 2 weeks but.
• Taste their best in the first week of baking.
• The dough freezes beautifully for up to six months.
• The cookies keep well frozen too!

Lemon Butter Cookie | Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe | Lemon Cookies

Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe

Author: Veena Azmanov

A butter cookie that melts in the mouth with the rich flavor of fresh lemon zest and juice. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for lemon butter cookies is as easy as a cookie recipe can get. Takes no special skills, techniques or tools and gets done in less than half an hour.

5 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, High Tea

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lemon Butter Cookie Recipe, Lemon Butter Cookies

Adjust Servings Here: 24 cookies

Calories: 133kcal

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 228 grams Unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 125 grams Powdered sugar
• 220 grams All-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking powder
• 30 grams Semolina
• 1 Egg yolk (large)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Lemon extract
• 1 drop Yellow food color (optional)
• 30 grams Powdered sugar for coating

Metric - US customary

Instructions

Prepare

• Combine together the flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt.
• Set aside.

Prepare cookie dough

• Lightly cream together butter and powdered sugar.
• Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, zest, and food color if using - combine well.
• Gently fold in the flour mixture.
• Lastly, add the lemon extract.
• Gather into a ball, wrap in a plastic wrap.
• Chill dough for 15 to 20 minutes until firm.

Make balls and coat cookies

• Preheat the oven to 180 C / 360 F.
• Roll small portions of chilled dough into balls with your hands.
• Roll into powdered sugar.
• Place on a cookie tray.

Bake

• Bake in a preheated oven on the middle shelf.
• Depending on the size of your cookies and the oven they take - 8 to 10 minutes.
• Mine took 8 minutes - watch the sides - a slight color on the sides is all it needs.
• Cool on a wire rack before you store them in a cookie jar.

Storage

• These will stay good for about 2 weeks.
• But they taste their best in the first week of baking.
• The dough freezes beautifully for up to six months.
• The cookies keep well frozen too!

About Videos - most recipes has two videos - a quick version in the post & longer detailed version on this recipe card above (YouTube embed) Subscribe to my YouTube Channel Veena Azmanov

Nutrition Information

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5% | Vitamin C: 0.4% | Calcium: 0.7% | Iron: 2.8%

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

Tried this recipe?Mention @veenaazmanov or tag #veenaazmanov!

Love Cookies? Me too! You may like to check out some of my other cookie recipes.
Or Click here to see a Recipe Index of all recipes on my blog.

Must have cookie jar recipe collection by Veena Azmanov