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lemon cookies with frosting and lemon slices
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5 from 7 votes

Best Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe

This is seriously the Best Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe ever! Featuring a soft lemon sugar cookie and creamy lemon cream cheese frosting, these are a citrusy treat with bold lemon flavor and a perfeclty chewy texture!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time32 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 cookies

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cookies

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 8 oz butter at room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

  • 4 oz butter at room temperature
  • 1 oz cream cheese
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 320F and line 2 extra large baking sheets with parchment.
  • Mix together the sugar and lemon zest, rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingertips to release the lemon oils.
  • Beat the butter into the lemon sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
  • Slowly stir in the flour, baking soda and salt until you have a soft cookie dough.
  • Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and space them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake until the edges are slightly golden, about 12 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth, followed by the powdered sugar and lemon juice.
  • With the back of a dessert spoon, swirl the icing on top of each cookie. Allow the icing to set slightly before serving.

Notes

These cookies will last up to 3 days in a sealed container at room temperature. The dough also freezes well.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
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