Easy Lemon Sugar Cookies

Easy Lemon Sugar Cookies puts fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon zest and egg at the center of a cookie recipe and finishes in about 31 minutes, enough for 36 cookies (2-3 dozen depending on size).

• Yield 36 cookies (2-3 dozen depending on size)
• Ready in 31 minutes
• Prep 20 minutes
• Cook 11 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Sugar

• ⅓ cup ( 71 g ) granulated sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (from one large lemon)

Cookies

• 1 cup ( 227 g ) butter, softened to room temperature (not too soft!)
• 1 ½ cups ( 318 g ) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (from one large lemon)
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons ( 409 g ) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. For the lemon sugar, combine the sugar and zest in a bowl and rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers until super fragrant and the zest and sugar are evenly and well combined. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until lightly and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the egg, lemon juice and vanilla and mix again for 1-2 minutes until the batter lightens in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. It will look a bit curdled; that's totally fine.
5. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until combined. Don't over mix - just mix until no dry streaks remain.
6. Scoop the cookie dough into rounded balls (about 2 tablespoons in size; I use my #40 cookie scoop).
7. Stir or crumble the lemon sugar to break up any clumps. Roll cookie dough balls in lemon sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets a couple inches apart (about 12 cookies per baking sheet).
8. Bake for 9-11 minutes until slightly crackly on top (don't over bake).
9. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cool the cookies on the sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a rack.