Description
These Zesty Lemon Frosted Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, topped with a creamy lemon frosting that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Base:
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Lemon Frosting:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Cream butter with granulated and brown sugar for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.
5. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
6. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
8. Cool cookies on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
9. Beat frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy.
10. Frost completely cooled cookies and allow frosting to set before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon zest for maximum flavor, bottled juice alone is not enough.
- Do not overbake; centers should look slightly underdone.
- Cookies must be fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
- Store cookies in a cool, dry place away from humidity.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 125mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 28mg
Keywords: zesty lemon cookies, lemon frosted cookies, citrus cookies