Lemon Cookie Recipe

Perfectly Tart and Sweet Lemon Sugar Cookies are a favorite Crumbl Lemon Cookie Copycat Recipe. Served chilled is the only way to take a bite of these giant bad boys that will have you puckering for more. The key is in the Lemon Zest and juice or lemon extract in making the cookie and frosting perfect every time.

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Sometimes these cookies can be called Smash Cookies because you smash the cookie dough using a glass before baking. Which creates these beautiful crackled edges. It also forms a ridge in the cookie which is perfect for holding frosting. Brilliant!

Lemon Sugar Cookies Recipe is truly the Best Lemon Cookies when you want a giant frosted cookie. If not I do recommend my Lemon Drop Cookies which are a drop cookie and equally as delicious. They are a small batch recipe which is perfect when you only need a small batch.

Crumble Lemon Cookie or even Swig Lemon Cookies are very similar and this recipe is a great copycat for both. Often sold at Soda Shops for a quick sweet treat. They are almost too big to eat by yourself so you might want to share with a friend or save some for later.

Shopping List for Lemon Zest Sugar cookies

• Butter ~ Unsalted butter
• Vegetable Oil ~ or substitute with Canola Oil
• Coconut Oil ~ Coconut Oil is more of a solid like Crisco, and gives great texture to this recipe
• Dixie Crystal Granulated Sugar ~ My sugar of choice. It’s fine granulated sugar that I love
• Dixie Crystal Powdered Sugar ~ My sugar of choice. I’ve tried many store and name brand sugars and I have loved the consistency, and flavor from this brand.
• Milk ~ Whole or 2% milk
• Eggs
• Baking Soda
• Cream of Tartar
• Salt
• All-Purpose Flour
• Lemon Juice and Zest

Frosting

• Butter
• Powdered Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Lemon Zest
• Sour Cream

How to make Lemon Sugar Cookies

For this recipe, I used my Bosch Universal Plus Mixer. You can read why I love my Bosch and have grown up using a Bosch Mixer. You can of course use a Hand Mixer. Make sure you whip your ingredients well if using a hand mixer for best results.

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• Cream room temperature butter, Coconut Oil together and then add Vegetable Oil scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Cream together.  Add Sugar and Eggs. Whip until light and fluffy. Add Milk and combine
• In a separate bowl combine Powdered Sugar, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar, Salt, and Flour. Mix to combine.
• Add dry ingredients a little at a time until fully incorporated. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
• Add lemon zest and juice for a final touch of tart flavor.

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• Scoop dough using a medium-size #24 cookie scoop. Place 2 scoops, one on top of the other, on greased baking sheets or parchment paper. 
• Use the bottom of a Mason Jar or Glass drinking glass and press cookie dough. Dip into sugar and repeat on all cookies. This helps flatten cookies and make the signature cracked edges of the sugar cookie.  It also gives each cookie a dusting of sugar for an added burst of flavor and texture
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake. Cookies will be baked but no golden edges. Do Not Over Bake. Makes about 32 Large Cookies

Frosting

• In a small bowl mix Softened Butter and Sour Cream until combined. Add Lemon Zest, and Powdered Sugar and Mix until fluffy.
• Frosting will be thick. Thin frosting down by adding 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
• Frost cooled cookies with a generous spread of frosting. Store cookies in a sealed container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

With each bite you will have the BEST Lemon Flavor. Cookies should be served chilled for best results. They are soft and chewy and every bite will have a burst of flavor in your mouth. If you love lemon, this is a great recipe.

For my lemon lover friends, I have a few other lemon recipes to suggest. Try my Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake which I adore or a super simple Lemon Bars recipe that uses an Angel Food Cake Mix.

Let me share with you why I love love the frosting or glaze as you might call it. The glaze is thick but not so thick it can stand on it's own. It's tart too. So a little goes a long way. The pressed ring in each cookie perfectly holds this lemon frosting without spilling over.

For added kicks and giggles sprinkle a little fresh lemon zest right on top.

As the frosting sets, it stays in place. And remember, these cookies are best served chilled. There is something about a Swig Sugar Cookie or a Crumble Cookie that was just meant to be enjoyed cold. Trust me here, and keep them. in the refrigerator if at all possible.

How to zest a lemon

There is an art to zesting any citrus fruit. Having a good zester makes a difference but understanding that you only want the outer rind and not the pith of the fruit is a must. For lemons this means only the bright yellow outer portion of the lemon. Once you zest to the white pith, you've gone too far.

One lemon will typically yield 1-2 tablespoons zest.

Fun Fact

National Sugar Cookie Day is June 9th. With so many sugar cookie options, what will you choose? Do yourself a favor and choose a favorite flavor. Lemon, plain or even a Chocolate Sugar Cookie. Yum!