These soft Lemon Sugar Cookies are zesty, sweet treats that are perfect for spring and summer snacking!
The sun is shining in the Pacific Northwest, and we’re gearing up for summer! How is the weather these days where you are living?
With the warmer weather comes a need for more sunshine-ready recipes. If you follow me on Instagram and have seen my InstaStories, you know that we’re all about throwing together fun and yummy summer soirees with fresh salads, light appetizers, and crisp summer wines!
Now, when it comes to dessert, I will always have a special place in any season for chocolate desserts. But once the sun comes out to play, my tastebuds tend to crave fresh, bright and sunny citrus flavors. Like those found in my Mini Citrus Bundt Cakes recipe or in my Lemon Shortbread Cookies.
But for summer soirees with lots of adults and kids around, I love serving cookies. These Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies are just the sweet treat to compliment your delicious sunny day spread. You and your guests will love these!
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🍊 Big citrus flavors
I took the recipe for my favorite soft almond sugar cookies and modified it to have a citrus summer twist.
If you’re looking for a single citrus flavored cookie, try my yummy Key Lime Cookies. They are similar, but have big key lime flavors. This cookie recipe calls for orange, lime, and lemon!
It does take a little extra time to zest lemons, limes, and oranges for the dough and the citrus rolling sugar, but trust me: it’s TOTALLY WORTH IT.
It’s easy to customize the citrus flavors to your liking in this recipe. Personally, I love a citrus combo that is heavier on the orange and lemon and lighter on the lime, so I adjust the zest amounts accordingly.
The result is an absolutely delicious, soft, bright and zesty lemon sugar cookie that packs a nice juicy zing of summer in each bite.
🍽 Serving ideas
Want some fun serving ideas? Try one of these to spice up your summer dessert bar:
- Make Lemon Sugar Cookie Sandwiches by spreading a thick layer of lemon buttercream frosting in the middle.
- Cut cookies in half and decorate a store-bought or homemade vanilla cake with halfmoon cookies around the edges.
- Crumble cookies and top scoops of ice cream, or layer and make a parfait.
- Place a layer of ice cream between them then freeze to make super summery ice cream sandwiches.
- Crumble or cut into quarter pieces and top a fresh key lime or lemon pie or tart.
I think you and your family are going to ADORE these soft citrus sugar cookies. I know that my family loves them and we’ll be making them again and again this summer! If you make them, be sure to share the photo on Instagram and tag Urban Bliss Life!
🍋 Recipe FAQs
Allow cookies to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Yes! These cookies are GREAT to freeze! Store them in a freezer-friendly airtight container for up to two months.
🍪 More cookie recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (3 sticks)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, near room temperature
- 2 3/4 cup cake flour
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Zesty Rolling Sugar
- 1/2 cup baking sugar crystals, turbinado sugar, or sugar in the raw
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy and well blended, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixer as needed.
- Add the orange, lemon, and lime zests to the mixer, and blend together for about 30 seconds.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and blend together until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until ingredients are fully combined. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in wax paper, and chill in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, mix together the rolling sugar with 1/2 teaspoon each of orange zest, lemon zest, and lime zest.
- Once dough is properly chilled, form the dough into balls and roll into the zesty citrus sugar. Place on cookie sheets covered in parchment paper. Using the bottom of a glass or the palm of your hand, gently press down onto the tops of each cookie to flatten a bit (cookies will not spread much during baking).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What adorable little cookies! I love that you added orange, lemon and lime zest to these. I can almost taste how amazing these are. I can hardly wait to bake up a batch!
Let me know how they turn out! Thank you, Denay!
These are so pretty and sound delicious and refreshing! Pinning to try :)
Thanks, Kelsey! Let me know how you like them! :)
I am so all about citrus these days, and these cookies are calling me! I’m dreaming of a little scoop of lemon gelato between two of these for a lovely little summer treat.
That sounds so yummy! Double the citrus! :)
Ohh I’m totally with you on citrus zest and being worth the effort! It adds incredible flavor to anything you add it to. These cookies sounds delicious! Pinning this to make the next time I feel like surprising my kiddos with something fun!
Yay! Thanks so much, Mary!
These look like such a yummy twist on regular sugar cookies. Perfect for summer!
-Jennifer
I love citrus in dessert, and your suggestion to put ice cream in between cookies is gold!
Thanks so much, Catherine! It’s a favorite trick of mine! :)
Sugar cookies are my favourite type of cookie! This fun summery twist sounds so delicious :)
I’m a huge fan of sugar cookies, too! Thank you!
Yum! I’ve tried cookies like this with the zest before but I’ve never made them myself. I need to give it a try!
I think you do, as well! :) Thank you, Rachel!
Soft cookies are my favourite, these are an awesome way to change up from your usual chocolate/chocolate chip cookies. Nice and refreshing.
I love soft cookies, as well! Thanks, Tilly!
Yum, lemon sounds like the perfect touch!! Can’t wait to try this out!
Let me know how you like them! :)
Citrus in cookies is so delicious! These look perfect!
Thanks, Paula!
This citrus cookies are perfect!! Absolutely delicious!
I love citrus cookies! Thanks, Camila! :)
Love the combo of lime and oranges! Great idea.
Thanks so much, Suzy!
These cookies look AMAZING! The perfect summer cookie.
Thank you, Jacque!
Oh these cookies sound so delicious and tempting, loving the idea of citrus in them, perfect with a cuppa.
I love the combo with the citrus! Thank you!
I love soft cookie and the idea of citrus in them sounds amazing. I totally need to try that!
Thanks, Danielle! :)