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These sweet little lemon sugar cookies are shaped like a heart… making them perfect for lemon lovers! Made with lemon zest and lemon juice, they pack a ton of lemon flavor. No artificial lemon extract required!
Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe
Love is in the air! Lemon love, that is! Lemon is one of the most popular flavors in the world, so I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate it into my baking. And today’s recipe for elevated sugar cookies might just be my favorite lemon recipe yet!
These cookie hearts are buttery and bursting with lemon flavor. And the lemon glaze is sweet, creamy, and adds even more luscious lemon flavor. A pop of yellow sugar on top adds pizzazz – and just a little crunch.
One of things I love most about these cookies? They’re so versatile! They’re fancy enough to be served at a bridal shower or dinner party. But also perfect for Valentine’s Day (make them with the kids!), Christmas, or anytime you’re craving lemon sugar cookies and want to make them extra cute!
Lemon Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Bring your butter to room temperature before you begin baking! In a pinch, you may use salted butter. Simply cut the called for salt in the recipe in half.
- Granulated Sugar: I do not recommend altering this ingredient. The sugar sweetens and stabilizes the dough. Even a subtle swap, like using brown sugar, would change this recipe quite a bit.
- Eggs: You’ll use a whole egg plus 2 egg yolks. Do not toss those egg whites! You can use them in another baking recipe, an omelet, or even freeze them.
- Lemons: Both zest and juice are used! Grab serval large, heavy lemons to ensure you have enough of both ingredient.
- All-purpose Flour: I cannot suggest a plant-based or gluten-free flour substitute at this time. For best results, weigh your flour on a digital scale or lightly spoon it into the measuring cup the level it off. Never pack the flour into the cup!
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the other flavors in the recipe.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: For the smoothest icing possible, sift the sugar through a fine-mesh strainer before adding it to the glaze.
- Yellow Colored Sugar: Purely for decorative purposes! If you don’t want to use this, simply omit!
How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Make the cookie dough! You’ll need a stand mixer fitted or a handheld electric mixer for this recipe. You won’t be able to beat the butter and sugar without it.
- Knead the dough! Sprinkle a little extra flour on your work surface so it doesn’t stick.
- Divide the dough! Use a large knife to divide the dough in half. Form each half into 6”-inch disc. Wrap each disc and then pop them in the fridge!
Jump to the recipe below for the full details
Chill the Dough
I know waiting it hard, but this dough MUST be chilled. For at least 3 hours, or up to 2 days.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Be sure to remove your dough from the fridge at least 20 minutes before you plan on rolling. Cold dough will crack!
Cutting, Bake, Decorate!
- Roll out the Dough! You’ll need a sturdy rolling pin to roll out the dough. You want to keep rolling until the dough is about 1/4-inch in thickness.
- Cut out the Hearts! Use your heart shaped cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as you can. Don’t throw away your dough scraps! You can re-chill those then roll it out again.
- Bake the cookies! Carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. If you want soft and chewy cookies, you can underbake by a minute.
- Cool the cookies! Leave the cookies on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once the cookies are cool, glaze and decorate!
Equipment You’ll Need
- Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter: I prefer a 3-inch cookie cutter, but use what you have! You can also make multiple sizes from one batch, like we did! Just adjust the bake time as needed; small cookies will bake faster and large cookies will need a few more minutes.
- Parchment Paper: Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the bottoms burning and make cleanup a breeze! A silicone baking mat can also be used.
- Baking Sheets: Use lighter colored baking sheets to avoid overly dark cookies.
- Microplane: You’ll want to very finely grate the lemon zest, which requires a microplane or fine grater.
- Piping Bag and Piping Tip: To decorate the cookies! You’ll use the bag to outline the cookies first, then “flood” the center with the frosting. It’s super easy and forgiving!
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More Lemon Recipes:
- Lemon Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake
- Lemon Cake for a Crowd
- Lemon Pie Bars
- Lemon Crumb Muffins
- Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Iced Lemon Sugar Cookie Hearts
These sweet little lemon sugar cookies are shaped like a heart... making them perfect for lemon lovers! Made with lemon zest and lemon juice, they pack a ton of lemon flavor. No artificial lemon extract required!
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookies:
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup (199g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest finely grated
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour plus more for kneading the dough
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 2 cups (227g) confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1/4 cup (57ml) lemon juice freshly squeezed, any excess pulp removed
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest finely grated
- 1/4 cup yellow cookie decorating sugar optional
Instructions
For the Lemon Cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium-speed until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and continue beating until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Reduce to medium-speed, then add in the egg yolks and egg, beating until well combined, and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lemon zest.
- On low speed, gradually add in the flour and salt, and beat until combined. Your dough should be stiff.
- Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of flour over a clean work surface. Scrape the cookie dough onto the surface and gently knead it for 30 seconds. Divide the dough in half, (about 443 grams each disc).
- Press each portion of cookie dough into a 6”-inch disc. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or up to 2 days).
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Working with one disc at a time, unwrap the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the disc out to ¼” thickness. Then use heart shaped cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as you can.
- Carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1” between cookies.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or just until the cookies are set and not shiny and wet on top. You want them baked through, but not overly golden or brown.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with remaining dough. Any dough scraps can be chilled and carefully rolled out again.
- Once the cookies are cool, glaze and decorate!
For the Lemon Glaze:
- In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined. You’re looking for a thick but pourable consistency.
- Scrape the mixture into a small piping bag with a fine piping tip attached and draw an outline around the edge of the heart. Allow this to set for a minute or two, then fill in the heart with icing. Sprinkle it with colored sugar. Repeat with all cookies.
Equipment
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This recipe is phenomenal. I made some cut outs for Easter brunch and thought the lemon flavor would be nice. Everyone raved about the flavor of these cookies. I will definitely be making them again!
CAN YOU USE CONFECTIONERS SUGAR IN THE ACTUAL COOKIE RECIPE?
THANK YOU FOR SUCH WONDERFUL RECIPES OF ALL KINDS!
Hi Sharon. I don’t recommend it. I haven’t tested it but I think it would make the texture chalky and definitely overly sweet. But if you try, let me know how it turns out!
Omg in grams!!! Thanks you!!! I Will try this recipe!!! We really love your recepies!!!
I can’t wait to hear what you think! And thank you so much 🙂