If you love citrus desserts, these Lemon Sugar Cookies combine a soft, chewy texture with bright, fresh lemon flavor. This easy recipe yields bakery-style cookies finished with a sweet lemon buttercream, turning them into irresistible lemon frosted cookies the whole family will enjoy.
Perfect for spring, summer, holidays, baby showers, or casual get-togethers, these lemon sugar cookies with frosting are straightforward to prepare and packed with real lemon taste.
If you enjoy Crumbl, Swig, or Twisted Sugar cookies, try my other copycat recipes: pink frosted sugar cookies, coconut lime sugar cookies, cinnamon roll sugar cookies, and frosted chocolate sugar cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These cookies are inspired by popular bakery-style sugar cookies, but I boost their appeal with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice in both the dough and the frosting. The result is a bright, tangy cookie similar to Twisted Sugar’s lemon offerings, with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
They’re quick to make because there’s no chilling or rolling—just scoop, press, bake, and frost. They’re ideal for parties and look especially cheerful topped with a thin lemon slice.
Lemon Sugar Cookies
This version builds on a classic soft sugar cookie base and borrows ideas from my coconut lime recipe to keep the cookies moist and tender. Highlights:
- Packed with fresh lemon zest and juice in both cookie and frosting
- Soft, chewy, and moist—not dry or cakey
- Uses common pantry staples and simple techniques
- Finished with a creamy homemade lemon frosting
If you prefer unfrosted treats, try the simpler lemon cookies version that skips the buttercream.
Ingredients For the Cookies
NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and the printable recipe card are available in the recipe section below.
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- Butter – Unsalted is preferred so you can control salt levels.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cookies and helps with texture.
- Powdered Sugar – Adds tenderness and a melt-in-your-mouth feel.
- Oil – Keeps cookies moist.
- Lemon Juice and Zest – Provide genuine citrus flavor.
- Eggs – Bind and give structure.
- All-Purpose Flour – Measure accurately by spooning and leveling or weigh for best results.
- Baking Soda – Aids spread and lift.
- Cream of Tartar – Contributes tang and a tender chew.
- Salt – Balances and enhances flavors.
Ingredients for the Frosting
NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and the printable recipe card are available in the recipe section below.
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- Butter – Salted or unsalted; add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
- Powdered Sugar – Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
- Lemon Zest and Juice – For fresh citrus flavor.
- Milk – Adjusts the frosting consistency; use milk or cream as preferred.
Make the Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line half-sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Cream the butter with both sugars in a mixer fitted with a paddle until smooth. Add oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs, mixing and scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix until the dough comes together; it should be slightly crumbly and not sticky.
- Scoop dough using a #30 cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) and space the balls 2–3 inches apart on the prepared sheets (8–9 per tray).
- Place 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl. Dip the bottom of a cup in the sugar and press gently into the center of each dough ball until the top is about 1/2 inch thick. Rock the cup slightly for an even press, if needed.
- Bake at 350°F for 8–9 minutes. Avoid over-baking—the tops should appear matte rather than glossy and will not brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Lemon Frosting
- Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk.
- Mix until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated and the frosting is smooth. Add milk, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency.
- Spread frosting on cooled cookies and top with a thin lemon wedge if desired.
Did you Make This?
Please leave a review and rating if you try the recipe—your feedback helps me keep sharing free recipes.
Storing and Freezing
- TO STORE: Keep leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 7 days. Separate layers with parchment paper. Cookies can be eaten chilled or brought to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving. Alternatively, store unfrosted cookies at room temperature (without lemon slices) for up to 4 days; ensure the frosting has set before stacking.
- TO FREEZE: Arrange cookies flat on a tray with parchment between layers, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. For best results, freeze frosting separately and re-whip after thawing, adding a little milk if needed. Do not freeze cookies with lemon slices.
Recipe Notes
- Use fresh lemons – Fresh zest and juice give the cleanest, most natural flavor without any bitter aftertaste.
- Be careful when zesting – Only grate the yellow outer peel; avoid the white pith, which can taste bitter.
- Don’t over-bake – Slightly soft centers create the ideal chewy texture.
- Let frosting set completely before stacking cookies to prevent smudging.
FAQs
Yes. Freeze unfrosted cookies in an airtight container and thaw before adding frosting.
This recipe uses powdered sugar and cream of tartar to help produce an extra-soft, tender cookie.
Absolutely. Baked and frosted cookies store well in the fridge for up to one week.
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
- 5 ½ cups (688 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (177 ml) oil (vegetable or canola)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp extra granulated sugar (for flattening)
Lemon Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) salted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 lemon)
- 2 Tbsp milk (or heavy cream), as needed
Instructions
- COOKIES: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line half-sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt together; set aside.
- In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the granulated and powdered sugars until smooth. Add oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs; mix and scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix until the dough comes together; it should be slightly crumbly and not sticky.
- Scoop the dough with a #30 scoop (about 2 Tbsp) and place on prepared trays, 2–3 inches apart.
- Put 2 Tbsp granulated sugar in a small bowl. Dip the bottom of a cup in the sugar and press into the center of each dough ball until about ½ inch thick.
- Bake at 350°F for 8–9 minutes. The tops should look matte when done. Cool on the tray for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- FROSTING: Beat the butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Mix until smooth and not gritty, adding milk a little at a time to reach the right consistency. Spread on cooled cookies and garnish with a lemon wedge if you like.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 7 days; separate layers with parchment. Cookies can be eaten chilled or brought to room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Unfrosted cookies can be kept at room temperature up to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze flat with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Freeze frosting separately and re-whip after thawing. Do not freeze cookies with lemon slices.
- BUTTER FOR FROSTING: If using unsalted butter, add ¼ tsp salt (or start with 1/8 tsp if you prefer less salt) to balance sweetness.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates calculated with a third-party tool.
*Originally published on 3/26/2017. Recipe and photos updated May 2026.