Bring the sunshine into your kitchen with these light, buttery and tangy lemon cookies. Filled with lemon buttercream and rolled in powdered sugar, these cookies have an exceptional taste with an amazing light texture.

If you are crazy about lemon flavoured desserts, then you are going to absolutely love these Lemon cookies. Quick to prepare and with just 6 basic ingredients, makes these cookies an easy and delicious bake.

INGREDIENTS USED IN THE RECIPE

BUTTER: This should be at room temperature. When the butter is soft, it is easily combined with the powdered / icing sugar.

 POWDERED / ICING / CONFECTIONERS SUGAR: This sugar incorporates quickly and well with the butter. If you are going to use granulated sugar, it will take longer to mix into the butter. Overmixing is avoided when powdered sugar is used, creating a softer, lighter bake.

LEMON JUICE AND ZEST: A ¼ cup / 65 ml of lemon juice is used and 1 teaspoon zest grated into the mix. I find that just 1 medium sized lemon is sufficient to produce a ¼ cup of lemon juice. It is also easier to grate the lemon for the zest first before squeezing out the juice.

VANILLA EXTRACT / ESSENCE: Just a teaspoon added to the mix creates amazing taste when combined with the tangy lemon.

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR / CAKE FLOUR / PLAIN FLOUR:  Add a little at a time to the butter mixture, and mix gently to avoid a tough cookie texture.

CORNSTARCH / CORNFLOUR: 2 tablespoons are added to the mixture. Cornstarch contributes to the light and tender texture of these cookies.

A FEW TIPS TO CREATE THE PERFECT LEMON COOKIES

1. The dough is really soft after mixing so it is best to refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before cutting into shapes. You could also place the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes if you prefer.
2. Roll the chilled dough between 2 sheets of wax or baking/ parchment paper. This ensures that the dough does not stick to the rolling pin. It also eliminates the need for the use of more flour, creating a softer bake.
3. The cookies are baked for between 15 to 18 minutes. It should just be lightly browned on the edges and still pale but baked on the inside. Leave on the baking tray for about 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.               

MAKING THE LEMON COOKIES

Start by creaming the butter with the powdered sugar. You can use a whisk, spatula or a hand-held beater for this.

Mix in the lemon juice and zest and vanilla extract and mix together.

Combine the flour and cornflour and add a ¼ cup at a time to the creamed butter and lemon mixture. Mix gently until all the flour has been combined into the creamed mixture.

Press and gather the dough lightly together and place it in a sheet of foil or cling wrap. Seal the wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes to chill. This will make it firmer and easier to roll and cut into shapes.

Roll the chilled dough between 2 sheets of wax or baking/ parchment paper. This ensures that the dough does not stick to the rolling pin. It also eliminates the need for the use of more flour, creating a softer bake.

Cut the cookies with a cutter dipped in flour. Arrange the cut cookies on a baking sheet and bake for between 15 and 18 minutes in a preheated oven of 350°F / 180°C.

It should just be lightly browned on the edges and still pale but baked on the inside. Leave on the baking tray for about 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  

Sandwich the cooled cookies with lemon buttercream. Roll the cookies in powdered / icing sugar or just sift it over the sandwiched cookies.    

TO MAKE THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM

Beat the butter until pale. Add in the powdered sugar/icing sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add in a little milk ( about a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you prefer.) to create a softer, smoother frosting.      

Enjoy ♥

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing cookie and slice recipes

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Lemon cookies

PREP TIME 5 minutes mins

COOK TIME 15 minutes mins

Chilling time 30 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME 20 minutes mins

Bring the sunshine into your kitchen with these light, buttery and tangy lemon cookies. Filled with lemon buttercream and rolled in powdered sugar, these cookies have an exceptional taste with an amazing light texture.

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Ingredients

FOR THE LEMON COOKIES

• ⅔ cup /150 g butter softened at room temperature
• ⅓ cup / 50g Powdered / Icing Sugar
• ¼ cup / 65 ml lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest.
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cup /220 g all purpose/cake flour.
• 2 Tablespoons / 18g cornstarch / cornflour

FOR THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM

• ¼ cup / 55g butter softened
• 1 cup / 125g powdered / Icing Sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract/ essence
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

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TO MAKE THE LEMON COOKIES

• Start by creaming the butter with the powdered sugar. You can use a whisk, spatula or a hand-held beater for this.
• Mix in the lemon juice and zest and vanilla extract and mix together.
• Combine the flour and cornflour adding a ¼ cup at a time to the creamed butter and lemon mixture. Mix gently until all the flour has been combined into the creamed mixture.
• Press and gather the dough lightly together and place it in a sheet of foil or cling wrap. Seal the wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes to chill. This will make it firmer and easier to roll and cut into shapes.
• Roll the chilled dough between 2 sheets of wax or baking/ parchment paper. This ensures that the dough does not stick to the rolling pin. It also eliminates the need for the use of more flour, creating a softer bake.
• Cut the cookies with a cutter dipped in flour. Arrange the cut cookies on a baking sheet and bake for between 15 and 18 minutes in a preheated oven of 350°F / 180°C.
• It should just be lightly browned on the edges and still pale but baked on the inside. Leave on the baking tray for about 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• Sandwich the cooled cookies with lemon buttercream. Roll the cookies in powdered / icing sugar or just sift it over the sandwiched cookies.

TO MAKE THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM

• Beat the butter until pale. Add in the powdered sugar/icing sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add in a little milk ( about a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you prefer.) to create a softer, smoother frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 0mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg