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Lemon Butter Cookies

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

Butter cookies on a table.
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 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.

So, that day, I decided I would make lemon cookies. And, 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.

In fact, 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.

A stack of lemon cookies on a table.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Cookie Recipe

Ingredients and substitutes

  • Butter – well yes, since this is a butter-based cookie – it does need a good quality butter and one that will melt in your mouth. I highly recommend you use firm room temperature but not soft room temperature butter as this will affect how the cookie spreads out (see Tip Thursday –how butter affects cookie baking)
  • Powdered sugar – I love the texture that powder sugar brings to this cookie. You can use regular sugar but the cookies will spread more and it will not be the same cookie.
  • Semolina – this adds a little of that bite and body to the cookie. It gives it that crumble in the mouthfeel. If you don’t have semolina you can use cornstarch aka cornflour instead.
  • Egg yolk – sounds like a little but that’s all you need. It’s just the right amount to prevent it from spreading. If you must substitute the egg you can try adding two tablespoons of greek yogurt instead.
  • Lemon – since it’s a cookie we can only add that much of liquid so the zest and extract do go a long way in adding flavor.
  • Food color – oh you can totally omit it but these are lemon cookies which we associate with the color yellow – unfortunately no amount of lemon juice is going to give you that so it’s a drop of yellow food color or white lemon butter cookies. You choose. I choose to add just a drop.
Lemon cookies on a baking tray.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Cookie Recipe
Lemon cookies arranged on a table.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Cookie Recipe

Step by step instructions

Prepare

  • In a bowl, combine together the flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt.
  • Set aside.
A mixing bowl with ingredients for cookie batter.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Cookie 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.
A mixing bowl with ingredients for cookie batter.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty 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.
A mixing bowl with ingredients for cookie batter.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty 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.
Unbaked butter cookies on a baking tray.
Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Cookie Recipe

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!

Frequently asked questions

How long will these cookies keep?

These lemon cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.

How do you fix cookies that spread too much? How to prevent cookies from spreading?

These will spread a bit but should not spread too much.
Too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading.
Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
Also, chill the cookie dough before rolling the cookies.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan. 
And make sure the oven is at the right temperature. 

How long should you chill the dough before baking?

I usually chill my cookies for about 15 to 30 minutes. It is always a good practice to refrigerate cookies while the oven is preheating. Chilling cookie dough helps solidify the butter in the cookies. This helps when baking by preventing them from spreading since chilled dough takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat. 

Is it ok to chill cookie dough overnight? Do I have to make the cookies immediately?

These lemon cookies have a good shelf life as a dough as well as cookies.
The dough, if wrapped well, can usually stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days before rolling and baking.
And you can even cover the cookies and place them on a parchment-lined tray, wrapped well with cling wrap, for about 3 to 4 days.
In addition, sugar cookies dough can be frozen for a month or more if covered well.
Hence, it’s a great dough to have on hand in the freezer during the busy festive season.

Can I make these eggless crinkle cookies?

I have not tried making these eggless but I do have an Almond Crinkle cookies which are eggless I highly recommend using that recipe and adding 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest.

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A row of butter cookies on a table.

Lemon Butter Cookies aka Zesty Lemon Cookie Recipe

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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Calories: 133kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 24 cookies

Description

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.

Video

Ingredients 

  • 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted butter ((2 sticks) room temperature)
  • 1 cup (120 g) Powdered sugar
  • 1 ¾ cup (220 g) All-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp Baking powder
  • 2 tbsp Semolina
  • 1 Egg yolk ((large))
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • ½ tsp Lemon zest
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Lemon extract
  • 1 drop Yellow food color ((optional))
  • 4 bsp Powdered sugar (for coating)
Follow Veena Azmanov on Pinterest

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 / 356 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!

Recipe Notes & Tips

 

Featured Recipe below – Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Conversions Used

1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,

Nutrition Information

Calories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 26mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.5mg

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

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42 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The picture alone is making my mouth water. They look so delicious !

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