Soft Glazed Lemon Cookies
30 min
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
I don't do timid citrus, and these soft glazed lemon cookies bring the real deal with fresh juice and zest in both the dough and the glossy glaze for a bright, tangy pop over a pillowy crumb.
Perfect for brunch trays, bake sales, or an afternoon coffee, they set with a delicate crackle on top, stay soft inside, and come together fast with pantry staples done right.
Ingredients (24 servings)
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Ingredients for the Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 4 oz
- 1 cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice lemon 0.67 ct (for freshly squeezed lemon juice)
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest lemons (for lemon zest)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 0.5 tsp
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.41 lb
- ¼ tsp baking soda baking soda 0.04 oz
- ¼ tsp baking powder baking powder 0.04 oz
- ¼ tsp salt salt
Ingredients for the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar powdered sugar 4.41 oz
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice lemon 0.33 ct (for freshly squeezed lemon juice)
- ½ tsp lemon zest (optional, for texture and pop on top) lemon 0.04 ct (for lemon zest)
How to Make Soft Glazed Lemon Cookies
-
Preheat and pan prep
Heat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment for easy release and even bottoms.
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Bloom the lemon flavor
Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is fragrant and slightly damp to unlock those citrus oils like a pro.
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Cream butter and lemon sugar
Beat the softened butter with the lemon sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once so nothing hides on the sides.
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Add the wet ingredients
Beat in the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth, and if it looks a little curdled from the acid, relax because the flour brings it back together.
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Combine the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl so the leaveners distribute evenly.
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Bring the dough together
Add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed and mix just until no dry streaks remain because overmixing makes tough cookies and we are not doing that.
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Chill for control
Cover and chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes so the cookies bake thick and soft instead of spreading thin.
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Scoop and bake
Scoop 1.5 tablespoon mounds spaced 2 inches apart, bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and the tops look matte and pale with no browning.
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Make the lemon glaze
Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth and pourable like thick honey, adjusting with a few drops of juice or a spoon of sugar as needed.
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Glaze the cookies
For a thin, absorbent sheen glaze while the cookies are just warm, or for a thicker white cap cool completely then spoon or dip the tops, and finish with a pinch of extra zest if you like.
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Set and store
Let the glaze set for 20 to 30 minutes and store airtight at room temp up to 3 days or freeze ungazed cookies up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- Butter -> Plant-based butter sticks
- Use vegan butter sticks 1:1 for a dairy-free cookie that stays soft and tender with clean lemon flavor, and skip tub margarine which makes them greasy and flat.
- All-purpose flour -> Gluten-free 1:1 blend
- Swap in a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend containing xanthan gum for structure so you keep the same loft and softness with only a slightly more delicate crumb.
- Lemon juice in glaze -> Limoncello
- Replace half of the glaze lemon juice with limoncello for a sultry, grown-up citrus note that stays bright while smoothing the sharp edges of the acid.
Tips
- Zest like you mean it
- Only take the yellow part of the peel with a Microplane and rub it into the sugar to pull out aromatic oils for a bigger lemon punch without extra liquid.
- Do not chase color
- Pull the cookies when the edges are set and the tops are matte because any browning means a drier, cakier cookie instead of a soft, plush bite.
- Control spread with a quick chill
- A 20 minute chill firms the butter just enough so the cookies rise and set before they relax which gives you that soft, thick center.
- Dial in the glaze
- Aim for a ribbon that disappears in 3 to 4 seconds so it coats evenly without running off the sides or drying chalky.
- Scoop for consistency
- Use a #40 scoop for uniform size so every cookie bakes at the same rate and your glaze coverage looks clean and pro.
- Balance the sweet
- A tiny pinch of salt in the glaze heightens the lemon and keeps the sweetness in check without tasting salty.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 169 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 3 | g |
| Total Fat | 5 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My batter looks curdled after adding lemon juice, did I ruin it?
- No, the lemon acid briefly splits the emulsion and it smooths out once you add the dry ingredients, so keep going and avoid overmixing after the flour goes in.
- Why did my cookies spread too much and bake thin?
- The dough was too warm or the flour measure was light, so chill 20 to 30 minutes and measure flour by weight or gently spoon and level for accuracy.
- The cookies came out dry, what happened?
- They were overbaked or your oven runs hot, so pull them while still pale with set edges and consider checking oven temp with an inexpensive thermometer.
- My glaze is too runny and keeps sliding off, how do I fix it?
- Whisk in more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until it forms slow ribbons, and glaze fully cooled cookies for a thicker cap that stays put.
- Can I freeze the dough or the baked cookies?
- Yes, freeze scooped dough balls up to 2 months and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes, or freeze baked unglazed cookies and glaze after thawing at room temp.
- How can I get stronger lemon flavor without making the dough wet?
- Add extra zest instead of juice and bloom it in the sugar which boosts citrus intensity without throwing off the dough balance.
Serving Suggestions
Zippy little beauties love a cup of Earl Grey, an espresso, or a chilled limoncello if we are feeling grown and glossy.
For a fun twist, whisk a teaspoon of poppy seeds into the dough or dust the glaze with crushed freeze-dried raspberries for a citrus-berry pop that looks as good as it tastes.
More pairings:
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