These easy lemon cookies come together in no time and are buttery, chewy and so yummy for an afternoon snack! With the buttery-ness of a shortbread cookie and the chewiness of a delicious sugar cookie, you won’t be able to eat just one of these! If you like lemon, you will love these cookies.
Is anyone else doing waaaaaay too much baking while they are at home during this virus outbreak? I know that I am. It’s kind of soothing and gets my mind off of the news for a bit. Plus, I always like a good excuse to stay home and bake!
I was reading an article by Better Homes and Gardens that talked about 6 reasons why baking can be a great form of stress relief. It was saying that baking offers an escape from the stresses of the day and the repetition of following a recipe and seeing something through to completion is calming. Plus, baking gives us a sense of control and security. Pretty interesting, right?
So clearly baking is the answer to everything. But I think we already knew that 🙂
Alright, onto the lemon cookies recipe!
How to Make Lemon Cookies
The best part about these cookies is that they are incredibly easy to whip up when you’re needing something sweet, whether for yourself or others! These cookies would make the perfect afternoon snack or even Easter dessert.
My easy lemon cookies are buttery, soft and not too sweet. They kind of taste like a lemony version of shortbread, just not as tough and dry!
What you will need in order to make these cookies are these simple ingredients:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Egg
- Lemon extract and zest
- Flour
- Salt
- Ginger
And that’s it! Super duper simple. I had an unopened bottle of Rodelle Lemon Extract in my cupboard and wasn’t quite sure how to use it. But it was absolutely perfect for these cookies! Their lemon extract gives you a really bold but not too overpowering bright lemon flavor that is perfect for a spring dessert.
How to Substitute Lemon Extract
If you are wanting to make these lemon cookies and don’t have a bottle of lemon extract, you can simply substitute 2 tablespoons of lemon zest for the extract. Or, get creative and use other extracts to make your own flavors! Vanilla extract with orange zest would be super delicious!
The point is to make these cookies as simple as possible! This recipe really does call for a limited amount of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples that you most likely already have. And the best part is, you could definitely involve your kids in this one because these are such a basic cookie to make!
So go ahead! Relieve some stress and get to baking these delicious, chewy and buttery lemon cookies! I believe your outlook on life will have vastly improved after making and eating these sunny, cheerful lemon cookies.
If you are looking for another easy recipe made with pantry staples, check out my Funfetti Blondies!
Easy Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp lemon extract (or substitute 2 tbsp lemon zest)
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and ginger and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until white and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until combined. Mix in the lemon extract and lemon zest and beat until incorporated.
- Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet in 2 batches. Mix until just combined but do not over mix.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, roll dough into one inch balls. Place about 2 to 3 inches apart on the cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies in batches for 10 minutes each, or until the cookies are very light golden brown on the edges.
- Remove cookies from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
