I have made these lemon cookies many times, especially when I crave something sweet, quick, and with common ingredients. They are simple but have that fresh lemon flavor that really comes through. I have succeeded every time and didn’t need anything special aside from a little patience with the dough in the fridge. If the butter is at room temperature, everything goes quickly.
Quick Info
Total time: about 3 hours and 30 minutes (including refrigeration time)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Number of servings: 18 cookies
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: homemade cookies, suitable for any occasion, including Christmas
Ingredients
55 g granulated sugar
50 g butter (or margarine)
150 g all-purpose flour type 00
1/4 packet baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
zest from half a lemon
granulated sugar and powdered sugar for rolling the cookies
Preparation method
1. Take the butter out of the fridge a few hours in advance so it softens. If you forget, you can briefly microwave it to soften, but don’t let it turn into hot liquid.
2. Place the soft butter and sugar in a bowl. Mix for a few minutes until you get a smooth and light-colored cream.
3. Add the whole egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix again until everything is combined.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder. Incorporate the dry mixture into the butter mixture and mix well until you no longer see dry flour and have a slightly sticky dough.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The dough should be firm at the end, easy to shape by hand.
6. After the dough has cooled well, break off equal pieces and form balls of your desired size. From the above quantities, I usually get 18 pieces.
7. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar. This gives them the specific crust after baking.
8. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or, if you prefer, grease the tray with butter and sprinkle a little flour.
9. Place the balls on the tray, leaving space between them (they will spread a little while baking).
10. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. Don’t leave them longer. Even if they seem soft when you take them out of the oven, they will harden as they cool.
11. Let them cool on the tray or on a wire rack before transferring them to a box.
Why I make the recipe often
I like that the recipe doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients and goes quickly if you organize the dough in advance. The cookies keep well from one day to the next and maintain their texture. The lemon flavor remains fresh, not just a vague scent.
Tips and variations
Tips
- The butter must be soft; otherwise, it’s hard to mix with the sugar.
- Don’t skip the refrigeration time. Cold dough is much easier to shape, and the cookies won’t spread too much while baking.
- Don’t exceed the baking time – the cookies may seem soft, but they will harden after a few minutes.
- Use two bowls: one for mixing wet ingredients and another for flour and baking powder.
Substitutions
- Butter can be replaced with margarine without significant differences in texture or taste.
- Type 00 flour can be substituted with regular all-purpose flour if you don’t have it.
- If you don’t have fresh lemon, you can use bottled lemon juice, but the grated lemon zest makes a difference in flavor.
Variations
- If you want more flavorful cookies, you can add the zest of a whole lemon.
- For a crunchier texture, roll them twice in powdered sugar before baking.
- You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract if you prefer a more complex taste, but it’s not mandatory.
Serving ideas
- They are good with tea or coffee, especially in the morning.
- You can place them in a nice box if you want to give them as a holiday gift.
- They also go well with a glass of cold milk, especially for kids.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use type 00 flour?
No, you can use regular all-purpose flour. The texture of the cookies will be slightly different, but the recipe works.
Why do I need to keep the dough in the fridge for so long?
If it’s not cold, the dough will be too soft to shape easily, and the cookies may spread too much while baking.
What do I do if I don’t have a mixer?
You can mix the butter with the sugar using a wooden spoon or spatula, but it takes longer and requires patience to achieve a smooth cream.
How much lemon juice is “2 tablespoons”?
Two tablespoons are about 30 ml, but you can adjust a little based on how tart you want the cookies to be.
Can I double the quantities?
Yes, the recipe can be easily multiplied, but don’t overcrowd the tray so they have space to bake evenly.
Nutritional values
Approximately, one cookie has about 55-60 kcal, depending on its size. For one serving: about 1.5 g protein, 2.5 g fat, and 7.5 g carbohydrates per cookie. The values are approximate and depend on how large you make the cookies and what brands of ingredients you use. They do not have significant amounts of fiber or salt.
Storage and reheating
The cookies store well for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. They remain soft and don’t need to be reheated. However, if they do become too hard, you can leave them for a few minutes in a bag with a slice of apple to regain some moisture. I do not recommend reheating in the oven, as they may become dry.
This recipe is a staple in my list for when I want something quick, with a fresh lemon flavor, and without hassle.
Quick Info
Total time: about 3 hours and 30 minutes (including refrigeration time)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Number of servings: 18 cookies
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: homemade cookies, suitable for any occasion, including Christmas
Ingredients
55 g granulated sugar
50 g butter (or margarine)
150 g all-purpose flour type 00
1/4 packet baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
zest from half a lemon
granulated sugar and powdered sugar for rolling the cookies
Preparation method
1. Take the butter out of the fridge a few hours in advance so it softens. If you forget, you can briefly microwave it to soften, but don’t let it turn into hot liquid.
2. Place the soft butter and sugar in a bowl. Mix for a few minutes until you get a smooth and light-colored cream.
3. Add the whole egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix again until everything is combined.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder. Incorporate the dry mixture into the butter mixture and mix well until you no longer see dry flour and have a slightly sticky dough.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The dough should be firm at the end, easy to shape by hand.
6. After the dough has cooled well, break off equal pieces and form balls of your desired size. From the above quantities, I usually get 18 pieces.
7. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar. This gives them the specific crust after baking.
8. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or, if you prefer, grease the tray with butter and sprinkle a little flour.
9. Place the balls on the tray, leaving space between them (they will spread a little while baking).
10. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. Don’t leave them longer. Even if they seem soft when you take them out of the oven, they will harden as they cool.
11. Let them cool on the tray or on a wire rack before transferring them to a box.
Why I make the recipe often
I like that the recipe doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients and goes quickly if you organize the dough in advance. The cookies keep well from one day to the next and maintain their texture. The lemon flavor remains fresh, not just a vague scent.
Tips and variations
Tips
- The butter must be soft; otherwise, it’s hard to mix with the sugar.
- Don’t skip the refrigeration time. Cold dough is much easier to shape, and the cookies won’t spread too much while baking.
- Don’t exceed the baking time – the cookies may seem soft, but they will harden after a few minutes.
- Use two bowls: one for mixing wet ingredients and another for flour and baking powder.
Substitutions
- Butter can be replaced with margarine without significant differences in texture or taste.
- Type 00 flour can be substituted with regular all-purpose flour if you don’t have it.
- If you don’t have fresh lemon, you can use bottled lemon juice, but the grated lemon zest makes a difference in flavor.
Variations
- If you want more flavorful cookies, you can add the zest of a whole lemon.
- For a crunchier texture, roll them twice in powdered sugar before baking.
- You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract if you prefer a more complex taste, but it’s not mandatory.
Serving ideas
- They are good with tea or coffee, especially in the morning.
- You can place them in a nice box if you want to give them as a holiday gift.
- They also go well with a glass of cold milk, especially for kids.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use type 00 flour?
No, you can use regular all-purpose flour. The texture of the cookies will be slightly different, but the recipe works.
Why do I need to keep the dough in the fridge for so long?
If it’s not cold, the dough will be too soft to shape easily, and the cookies may spread too much while baking.
What do I do if I don’t have a mixer?
You can mix the butter with the sugar using a wooden spoon or spatula, but it takes longer and requires patience to achieve a smooth cream.
How much lemon juice is “2 tablespoons”?
Two tablespoons are about 30 ml, but you can adjust a little based on how tart you want the cookies to be.
Can I double the quantities?
Yes, the recipe can be easily multiplied, but don’t overcrowd the tray so they have space to bake evenly.
Nutritional values
Approximately, one cookie has about 55-60 kcal, depending on its size. For one serving: about 1.5 g protein, 2.5 g fat, and 7.5 g carbohydrates per cookie. The values are approximate and depend on how large you make the cookies and what brands of ingredients you use. They do not have significant amounts of fiber or salt.
Storage and reheating
The cookies store well for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. They remain soft and don’t need to be reheated. However, if they do become too hard, you can leave them for a few minutes in a bag with a slice of apple to regain some moisture. I do not recommend reheating in the oven, as they may become dry.
This recipe is a staple in my list for when I want something quick, with a fresh lemon flavor, and without hassle.