These easy lemon cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, they have the best lemon flavor! Slice and bake lemon cookies, roll them into balls or even cut them into shapes, these cookies are the perfect treat.
I love making lemon recipes and these lemon cookies have the best citrus flavor. They are crispy on the outside and buttery with a bright lemon flavor and every bite of cookie is so delicious.
I often cut and bake lemon biscuits similarly to Italian lemon biscuits, but they can also be cut like a traditional lemon sugar biscuit. The texture is different from my thick and chewy lemon shortbread cookies, but the crunchy simplicity makes them perfect!
Because I love this recipe
- Easy Lemon Cookies: Similar to my Cinnamon Sugar Crunch Cookies, these Lemon Cookies have a crunchy texture that melts in your mouth!
- Light and tasty: These lemon cookies have a tart lemon flavor and a light bite that makes them simple and delicious for lemon lovers!
Ingredients and notes
- Granulated sugar: Granulated white sugar helps the cookies develop crisp edges.
- Butter: I used salted butter softened at room temperature to cream more easily with sugar.
- Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest adds a bright citrusy fresh lemon flavor. Add up to 2 tablespoons zest.
- Salt: Season with added salt if using unsalted butter.
- Egg: You will need one large egg and one large egg yolk.
- Flour 00:00 This gives the cookie structure. I haven’t tested it with any other flour.
How to make easy lemon biscuits
To begin, make the dough by whisking the sugar, butter, zest, salt, egg, and egg yolk in the large bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
Add the flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms. Form a ball or log and wrap it in plastic and leave to cool.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it into golf ball-sized balls or, using a sharp knife, cut the log into ¼-inch slices. You can also roll out the dough and cut it out with medium cookie cutters.
Place the dough on 1-2 baking trays lined with baking paper. Cool the cookies while the oven is preheating.
Cook until lightly browned. Let the biscuits cool on the baking tray and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the best thin and crunchy lemon biscuits
- Biscuit thickness: For crisp, thin lemon cookies, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thick or slice it to ¼ inch thick or even a little less for slicing and baking the cookies.
- Even crunchier biscuit: Replace the icing sugar with granulated sugar. Powdered sugar absorbs more moisture in the dough, which will lead to a thinner cookie.
- More intense lemon flavour: Use 2 tablespoons of lemon zest and add a teaspoon of lemon extract.
- Warm flavor: When I make these at Christmas, I love adding up to ½ teaspoon of ginger for a warming flavor.
- Garnish: Before baking, sprinkle the surfaces with brown sugar or coarse sugar and lemon zest. You can also sprinkle it with sugar and zest!
Why do I need to chill this lemon crisp cookie recipe?
Chilling these crispy lemon cookies prevents excessive spreading during the longer baking time. The result is a biscuit with defined and crunchy edges.
Can I add a lemon glaze?
YES! If you want to add a lemon glaze, just combine a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice with 5-6 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Drizzle the cooled biscuits.
Other lemon recipes to try
If you’re a lemon lover like us, I hope you enjoy these easy lemon cookies too. Enjoy!
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1-2 spoons lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt (if using unsalted butter add ¼ teaspoon salt)
- 1 big egg (room temperature)
- 1 big egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (more if needed)
In bowl, beat sugar, butter, zest, salt, egg, and egg yolk until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms. Form a ball or log and wrap it in plastic. Chill 60 minutes.
Roll into golf ball-sized balls, or cut the log into ¼-inch slices, or roll out the dough to ¼-inch (or even a little less) and cut out with medium cookie cutters. Arrange on 1-2 parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
While oven preheats, cool cookies, 10-15 minutes. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, if slicing or slicing, bake for about 10 minutes, then start checking to see if it’s done. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Can I freeze cookie dough?
YES. To prepare this dough in advance, you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also prepare it in advance and, if necessary, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.How to store cookies?
Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days up to a week. You can also store baked, cooled cookies in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 11G | Protein: 1G | Fat: 4G | Saturated fat: 3G | Polyunsaturated fats: 0.3G | Monounsaturated fats: 1G | Trans fats: 0.2G | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.3G | Sugar: 4G | Vitamin A: 140UI | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Soccer: 5mg | Iron: 0.5mg | Phosphorus: 18mg
