Lemon Butter Cookies

Published: Jun 14, 2019 · Modified: Aug 17, 2020 by Maria Pagiotas · 46 Comments

Soft, chewy Lemon Butter Cookies sandwiched with a light and airy lemon buttercream. A spring and summer delight and a lemon lover's favorite.

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Lemon may be one of my favorite flavorings. It's delicious as a standalone flavor and equally delicious in enhancing flavors in a variety of desserts. It's perfect for bringing out the flavor of fillings such as in blueberry apple pie. A little lemon zest and some fresh lemon juice can go a long way in adding that perfect burst of flavor.

For the lemon lover, I'm going all out with my lemon butter cookies. These cookies are perfectly tender and sandwiched together with a creamy, lemony buttercream frosting. Although they can be enjoyed all year long, they are a spring and summer favorite in our household.

Why this recipe works

It's bursting with a fresh lemon flavor.
The cookies are soft and tender.
Delicious on its own and as buttercream sandwiches.
Made with only 8 simple ingredients.
These cookies are freezer-friendly.

Before you begin

Take out the following baking equipment.

Digital kitchen scale
2 large baking sheet pans
Parchment paper
Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
2 small bowls
Silicone spatula
Medium bowl
Rolling pin
2" round cookie cutter
Wire cooling rack

Read the recipe through from start to finish.

Understanding Ingredients

Using powdered sugar, instead of granulated sugar will keep your cookies soft and tender. These lemon cookies are meant to be light and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Always use pure vanilla extract as the flavor is unmatched with artificial flavorings. Not only does vanilla add flavor to your cookies, but it also enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

Lemon is the highlight of this recipe so it's ideal to use the juice of fresh lemons.

How to roll out cookie dough

Here are some easy tips for successfully rolling out your cookie dough.

Prep your surface. Lightly flour your work surface before rolling out the cookie dough. Better to start with less flour than too much (which will absorb into your dough and dry out your cookies). You can always add more flour as you go.

Divide your dough. Place half of the dough on your work surface and use a rolling pin to roll to a ¼-inch thickness.

Shift your dough. As you roll the dough, continue to shift the dough to ensure it does not stick to your surface (add flour as needed). Also lightly flour your dough as needed to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin.

Refrigerate if needed. Although this dough does not need refrigeration before rolling out, if it becomes too hot and sticky while rolling you can place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to cool down and then continue rolling.

Repeat. Repeat this process with the second half of your dough.

How to make light and airy buttercream

Beat butter. Begin by beating your softened butter for 5 minutes (using a paddle attachment). This will get your butter fluffy.

Add sugar. Mix in the powdered sugar and salt until incorporated. Begin by mixing on low to avoid spraying the sugar everywhere.

Add flavors. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest until thoroughly combined.

Pour in lemon juice. Slowly add your lemon juice to the mixture. Add enough liquid to achieve your desired consistency.

Beat buttercream. Beat the buttercream for an additional 3-4 minutes on medium-high speed. This is key to creating a light and airy texture.

How to store lemon cookies

Because these cookies are so soft and tender, you can make them ahead of time without the buttercream and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for at least a week (although I love eating cookies within the first few days when they are freshest).

You can make the buttercream the day before you'd like to serve the cookies and re-whip it before sandwiching the cookies together.

Tips and takeaways

When making any roll-out cookie dough, like this recipe and funfetti cutout cookies, I always recommend using a rolling pin with adjustable measuring rings. This will help achieve a flat layer of cookie dough which will bake evenly.
It's best to cut your dough keeping the shapes as close as possible to minimize scraps. Although you can reroll your dough, the more times you do this, the denser your cookies will become from being overworked.

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Make sure to tag me @thesweetoccasion on Instagram and leave me a review below if you make these Lemon Butter Cookies. I’d love to see your creations and read your feedback. And if you would like to make this recipe later, be sure to pin this recipe using the button on any of these images. Let’s make every occasion a sweet occasion!