Soft Buttery Lemon Sugar (Printer-Friendly)

Soft, buttery lemon sugar delights rolled in sparkling sugar and topped with tangy citrus glaze.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cookies

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

→ Citrus Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball. Coat each ball evenly with the extra granulated sugar.
07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and tops appear dry, avoiding overbaking.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and let it set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together faster than you'd expect, with zero fussy techniques standing between you and freshly baked cookies.
  • The sparkly sugar coating catches the light and makes them impossible to resist, even before that tart glaze hits.
  • One bite tastes bright and alive without being overwhelmingly sweet, which means you'll actually want to eat three in a row.
02 -
  • Bottled lemon juice tastes flat and slightly bitter compared to fresh, and it completely changes the brightness of the final cookie—squeeze your own every time.
  • Overbaking these by even a minute makes them hard and dry, so pull them out when the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
  • The glaze needs powdered sugar that's been sifted, or you'll be fighting lumps with your whisk and end up with a grainy finish instead of silky.
03 -
  • Brown your butter before creaming it with sugar for a deeper, more complex flavor that makes the lemon taste even brighter by contrast.
  • If your dough seems too soft to scoop, chill it for 15 minutes before rolling and coating with sugar—this keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
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