There’s a lemon tree out back that has clearly decided this is its year. Every time I go outside, there are more lemons. Not a few here and there, an actual, steady supply that needs to be used whether I planned on it or not.

So lately, everything has been lemon. Lemon loaf cakes, lemon chicken, lemon brownies, lemon in anything that can reasonably handle it…and now, these easy lemon sugar cookies.

These weren’t some big planned out recipe. Just one of those “I have a bowl of lemons on the counter yet again, so what am I making now?” type situations, haha.

And honestly, they’re exactly what I wanted them to be. Soft in the center, lightly crisp at the edges, and actually tasting like lemon instead of just sweetness with a hint of…something?

Why These Are the Best Lemon Sugar Cookies

They’re simple and easy to make, but they’re not boring. You get that classic sugar cookie base, but the lemon gives it just enough of a shift that it feels different without trying too hard. They’re good with coffee, good in the afternoon when you want something small, and somehow they disappear faster than you expect every single time.

Ingredient Notes

• Use softened unsalted butter for these cookies. This is the only part that really matters more than you think. The butter should be soft, but not warm or shiny. If it’s too soft, the cookies will spread like crazy.
• Use fresh lemon juice and zest. The majority of the flavor comes from these two things, so use the real deal. I usually zest one whole lemon and then juice it. One lemon will make about two batches of cookies (or a double batch! wink).
• Make sure you’re not under or over-measuring the flour for these cookies.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together just until smooth. You don’t want to whip air into it, just combine it, so a minute or two is plenty.
3. Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla, and mix until everything just comes together. Don’t overdo it here either, you don’t want to add air or the cookies get a weird bubbly texture.
4. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms (and it will be soft).
5. Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough and place it on the baking sheet. Or gently roll the balls in a mixture of sugar and lemon zest and then place them on the baking sheet. Leave a little space between the cookies for some spreading.
6. Bake coookies for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set, the centers still look soft.
7. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. They’ll finish setting up as they cool.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• If your cookies are spreading too much, your butter is porbably too warm, which happens fast (espeially in kitchens like mine here in Arizona). Use butter that’s soft but still slightly cool to the touch (not shiny or greasy).
• Measure the flour correctly. Too little flour is an easy way to end up with flat cookies. Too much, hockey pucks. The fluff, spoon, and level method works great.
• Mix ingredients until just until combined at each step. Don’t overwork the dough or the texture and/or thickness of the cookies will be off.
• If the dough feels too soft or your kitchen is warm, you can chill the dough for 20–30 minutes before baking, but this isn’t usually required.
• You can simply scoop, plop, and bake these cookies. Or if you want to be a little fancier, you can gently roll the cookies in a mix of sugar and a lemon zest before baking. The sugar-coated cookies will have a little extra crunch and flavor (I didn’t roll the cookies photographed, they’re plain).
• Don’t overbake these cookies. They’ll look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out, that’s what we’re going for. It keeps them soft.

Storage Recommedations

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. They stay soft, which is part of the appeal. They also freeze really well, especially as dough.

To do that, scoop the dough into balls, roll in sugar if you’re using it, and freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the bake time.

Baked cookies can also be frozen; just let them cool completely and store in an airtight container, then thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven. The dough keeps well for up to 3 months, and baked cookies for about 2 months.