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    Home » Cookies

    Chewy Lemon Iced Cookies Recipe

    Published: May 17, 2022 by Jere Cassidy · This post may contain affiliate links. · 25 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Lemon cookies in a baking pan with a white napkin.
    Lemon cookie pinterest image
    Image for pinterest lemon cookies
    Frosted lemon cookie pin.
    Pinterest image for cookies.

    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.

    Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies in a bread pan.
    Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies

    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.

    One bite of these lemon glazed cookies and you will taste the fresh, tangy lemon flavor inside the cookie and the sweet lemon icing 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. I just picked these beauties from my backyard tree, they are beautiful this year.

    Jump to:
    • Another reason to love these cookies
    • Cookie Tips
    • Cookie Ingredients
    • Let's Make Cookies
    • Tools I used to make cookies
    • Lemon FAQs
    • Recipe
    Three just picked lemons
    Fresh lemons

    Another reason to love these cookies

    • The dough and the icing are both simple to make
    • This cookie recipe uses a few pantry ingredients.
    • No chilling of the dough is required, just mix and bake
    • You can freeze the cookie dough for later, and you can freeze the baked and frosted cookies too!
    • These are delicious lemon sugar cookies with real lemon.

    Cookie Tips

    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 soft lemon cookie

    • Butter - I love unsalted 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 to learn about the difference in lemon sizes so you can determine how many lemons you need for a recipe.
    • Powdered sugar - use this to make the icing
    Lemons, sugar, flour, eggs for lemon cookies.
    Lemon cookie recipe

    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.

    Lemon juice tip - You can use store-bought bottled lemon juice as a substitute for fresh lemon juice. But keep in mind the bottled lemon juice can contain preservatives which can affect the lemon taste. Use the same amount of bottled juice as you would for the fresh juice.

    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. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line your cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat.

    Step 5. Fill a small bowl 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!

    scooping cookie dough on a baking sheet
    Roll the cookies in sugar

    Step. 6 Bake for 10 minutes for beautifully browned buttery cookies. Remove from the oven then transfer to a wire rack to cool before frosting.

    Just baked lemon cookies
    Just baked cookies

    Step 7.  But wait, there's more, learn how to make lemon cookie icing, it's super easy and will add extra lemony flavor on top of the cookies. Just mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy, then ice the cooled cookies.  Let the icing set until firm.

    A plate of iced chewy lemon cookies
    Frosted Lemon Cookies

    More lemon recipes

    • If you love cake and lots of lemon flavor this Lemon Bundt Cake will be the perfect dessert for you.
    • Another favorite cake is this Raspberry Iced Lemon Ginger Sponge Cake,  three flavors in one delicious cake.
    • Another easy lemon cookie recipe is these Slice and Bake Lemon Shortbreads. They are tender and lemony and 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 cookies

    • Stand Mixer with a 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

    A cooling rack of lemon cookies
    Simply delicious frosted cookies

    Lemon FAQs

    What is the difference between using lemon juice and lemon zest?

    The lemon juice is acidic and will add a bitter flavor to a recipe. The lemon zest is from the peel of the lemon and contains citrus oils that have a tangy flavor. So each has a different flavor.

    What is a substitute for fresh lemon zest?

    You can buy dried lemon peel in the spice section at the market. If the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, use a ½ teaspoon of dried lemon peel.

    You can add some extra lemon juice to the recipe to get more lemony flavor, but this can add a more bitter flavor. For a teaspoon of lemon zest add a tablespoon of lemon juice.

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    Recipe

    Chewy Lemon Cookies

    Jere' Cassidy
    These Chewy Lemon Cookies are the perfect cookies for the lemon lover. Bursting with fresh and tangy lemon flavor, top these cookies with a sweet lemon glaze.
    4.82 from 22 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 8 mins
    Total Time 28 mins
    Course Cookie
    Cuisine American
    Servings 32
    Calories 121 kcal

    Equipment

    • Citrus Zester
    • 1 inch cookie scoop
    • Cookie Sheets
    • Citrus Reamer

    Ingredients
      

    Chewy Lemon Cookie Dough

    • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
    • ¾ cup light brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • ¼ cup light corn syrup
    • 2¼ cups AP flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup lemon zest 2-3 medium sized lemons
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar use this for rolling the cookie in before baking

    Lemon Glaze

    • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
    • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
    • 2 tablespoons lemon zest 1 lemon

    Instructions
     

    Making the cookie dough

    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and prepare baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.
    • In a large mixing bowl beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. A stand mixer with the paddle attachment works best for this heavy dough.
    • 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 for several days.

    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

    Serving: 32Calories: 121kcalFat: 4.6gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 133mgSugar: 19.6g
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog.  Please leave a comment to say Hello or just let me know what you are baking these days, I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Have any questions or just want to chat about the recipe? My contact information is on my about page, and I’ll be happy to help.                                                                                                                                                     

    About Jere'              

    From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nora

      May 18, 2022 at 12:01 pm

      5 stars
      Those cookies are my new favorite! So yummy and refreshing! Love this lemon glaze! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Jill

      May 18, 2022 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      Love lemon desserts and these iced lemon cookies are the perfect treat! The corn syrup gives it the perfect texture!

      Reply
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    Jere Cassidy owner of One Hot Oven

    Welcome, I am Jerè. I love sharing recipes both sweet and savory that inspire you to bake at home. Food has a way of bringing us all together, from a simple batch of cookies to a three-tier cake.

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