Bake a batch of these Chewy Iced Lemon cookies that have a bold taste of fresh lemon in a soft buttery sugar cookie. A delicious recipe for the lemon lover.
This page may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure for policy details. I earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.
The Best Lemon Cookies
One bite of these lemon glazed cookies and you will taste the fresh, tangy lemon flavor inside the cookie and the sweet lemon frosting on top. My thought, if you are going to make a lemon cookie, make sure it’s lemony.
To make these cookies you just need eight basic ingredients, nothing fancy because these cookies are all about lemons. Just picked from my backyard tree. They are beautiful this year.
Another reason to love these cookies
- The dough and the icing are both simple to make
- This cookie recipe uses a few basic pantry ingredients
- No chilling of the dough required, just mix and bake
- You can freeze the cookie dough for later, and you can freeze the baked and frosted cookies too
Chewy cookies need moisture so try these tricks
If you like chewy cookies there are a few tricks to help you get that perfect chewy cookie texture.
- Use brown sugar which has more moisture than white sugar
- Add a small amount of corn syrup, honey, golden syrup, or molasses which attracts moisture
- Watch your baking time. Remove the cookies when they are still soft in the center, otherwise, your cookies are going to be crispy because you baked the moisture out of the cookie
Cookie Ingredients
Simple ingredients for a delicious cookie
- Butter – I love butter in my baked goods for the great flavor. Make sure it is softened and at room temperature.
- Brown Sugar – Using brown sugar helps make these cookies chewy and of course to sweeten them.
- Light corn syrup – this also adds moisture to the texture of the cookie.
- Granulated Sugar – I use this to roll the cookies in before they get baked.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour to give the cookie structure.
- Baking soda – This will react with the acid in the lemon and help the cookie rise.
- Salt – just a little bit adds flavor.
- Lemons – try to use fresh if available for the best lemony flavor. Make sure to check out this guide on how much juice is in one lemon to determine how many lemons you need for a recipe.
- Powdered sugar – use this to making the icing
Let’s Make Cookies
Step 1. With a stand mixer or a hand mixer and a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and the egg to combine for 3-4 minutes, this will add air into the mixture and helps dissolve the sugar.
Step 2. Next, mix in the corn syrup and lemon juice. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
You can use store-bought bottled lemon juice. I honestly have not tried using lemon extract for this recipe.
Step 3. Finally, mix in all the dry ingredients and the lemon zest. Don’t overmix the batter, just make sure all the flour is incorporated.
That’s as easy as it gets, you don’t even have to chill this dough!
Step 4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line your cookie sheets with parchment or a silpat.
Step 5. Fill a small bowl with with sugar. Scoop out the lemon cookie dough and roll the balls in the granulated sugar, then place on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining dough. I like using a cookie dough scoop to make the dough balls because it’s super quick and easy and all the cookies come out the same size.
Ready, set, bake!
Step. 6 Bake for 10 minutes for beautifully browned lemon cookies. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Step 7. But wait, there’s more, top the cookies with a sweet lemon icing with bits of lemon zest to add some extra lemony flavor. Just mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest and ice the cookies. Let the icing set until firm.
Are you a lemon lover too! Try these One Hot Oven favorite lemon recipes.
If you love cake and lots of lemon flavor this Sweet, Tart, and Tangy Lemon Cake will be the perfect dessert for you.
Another favorite cake is this Lemon Ginger Sponge Cake with Raspberries, three flavors in one delicious cake.
Crispy Lemon Shortbread Cookies are tender and lemony. The perfect cookie for tea, coffee, and lemonade.
And, if cookie baking is your thing check out all the One Hot Oven Cookie Recipes. You will find some delicious and fun cookies to make.
Tools I used to make my Lemon Cookies:
- Stand Mixer with bowl or use a handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl
- Lemon zester
- Lemon reamer
- Measuring cups
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop
- Small bowl
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or Silpat
Help yourself to a cookie
Chewy Lemon Cookies
As an Amazon Associate I earn income from qualifying purchases.
Share on Facebook Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
Chewy Lemon Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 2 ¼ cups AP flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup lemon zest 2-3 medium-sized lemons
- 1 tbls lemon juice
- ¼ cup white sugar use this for rolling the cookie in before baking
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2-3 tbls. lemon juice
- 1 tbls. light corn syrup
- 2 tbls. lemon zest, 1 lemon
Instructions
Making the cookie dough
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and prepare cookie sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg until thoroughly combined then add the corn syrup and lemon juice. Beat again until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda and beat on low until combined. Add the lemon zest and mix in just to combine.
- Using a cookie scoop make 1" balls of dough then roll in the sugar to coat. Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. To keep the cookies chewy remove from the oven while the centers are still soft. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes then move to a cooling rack.
Making the Lemon Glaze
- Stir all the glaze ingredients together until smooth. If the glaze is too thick add additional amounts of lemon juice. You do want this glaze to be fairly thick so it doesn't run off the cookie.
- Once the cookies have cooled ice the top of the cookies with the glaze.
- Store cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- Take the cookies out of the oven while the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to bake for a minute longer out of the oven.
- You can freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Form the cookie dough balls and place them on a tray in the freezer. Once frozen place the dough balls in a plastic bag or freezer container. When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove them from the freezer and let sit for 15 minutes, then bake.
- You can freeze the baked and glazed cookies. Once the cookies have been baked and glazed and the glaze has hardened on the cookie, place the cookies in a plastic bag or freezer container. When ready to eat remove from the freezer and let sit for one hour.
Nutrition
First Published: Sept. 09, 2018… Last Updated: July 23, 2021, with updated content for better readability
Freya
The more lemon the better! Ship bought cookies never seem lemony enough but these seem perfectly zesty for me!
Courtney
I also love lemon so it’s no surprise I loved these cookies! The lemon glaze is a nice touch too.
Sue
Sweet plus Lemon is the best flavor combo ever!!
Chris Collins
I’m a sucker for a cookie so these have got my name all over them! Can’t wait to try the recipe 🙂
rika
My kids and I love everything with lemon flavor! These cookies look good and chewy!
Jere Cassidy
They are delicious. My kids love lemons, that’s why I have two lemon trees.
Jess
Yes! So glad we are getting into citrus season so I can make these!
veenaazmanov
Delicious Lemon Flavor and delicious cookies are definitely a try recipes. Would love to make my batch and gift it to my loved ones.
Angela
You had me at lemon! Love seeing all that fresh zest ready to add to some amazing cookies. So need to head to the kitchen and bake something lemony now 🙂
Jere Cassidy
I promise your kitchen will smell deliciously lemony.
Fatima Torres
This recipe brought back so many memories from my childhood. My grandmother would make these for me.
Jere Cassidy
Oh, there is nothing better than grandma’s cooking and remember what she made for us.
Jacqui DeBono
I love anything with lemon (including your lemon cake recipe!). The perfect cookie is chewy and crunchy, so I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Jere Cassidy
Lemon just makes the best flavor in baked goods. My lemon tree is so heavy with lemons this year.
Deanne
Totally drooling over here at that zesty lemon! These cookies are amazing
Jere Cassidy
Nothing better than drool-worthy cookies.
VANESSA
Can I use something other than corn syrup, like honey or agave syrup?
Bobbi | Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Love, love, LOVE these cookies! They look amazing and lemon is one of my faves!
Jere Cassidy
Thanks so much for the kind comment. These lemon cookies are amazing.
Alisa Infanti
I love love love lemon anything and can’t wait to try these. I would never have thought about adding corn syrup to cookies to make them chewier. Can’t wait to try this trick with a few recipes I have. Thanks for the tip!
Jere Cassidy
The corn syrup really makes a difference for these lemon cookies. I agree I love all things lemony.