These are the best lemon sugar cookies: thick, soft in the center, and slightly chewy with pretty cracked edges. They’re finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and a swirl of silky lemon cream cheese buttercream for bright, balanced flavor.
What makes these the best lemon sugar cookies
- Texture. These cookies stay soft and slightly doughy in the middle for days while developing chewy, crinkled edges. Cream of tartar, a bit of oil, and sour cream all help create that tender, chewy texture.
- Real lemon flavor. All the bright lemon flavor comes from fresh lemon zest and juice added to both the cookie dough and the cream cheese buttercream, giving a natural, vibrant citrus taste.
- Easy and quick. This recipe is straightforward and fast: about 20 minutes to prepare plus 10 minutes of bake time. The result looks and tastes like a bakery treat without complicated steps.
How to make these soft and chewy lemon sugar cookies
Make the lemon sugar cookie dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and powdered sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, pour in the oil and mix until combined. Add vanilla, the whole egg and extra yolk, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice, mixing until incorporated and scraping the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer in two additions, mixing just until combined—do not overmix. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 30 minutes while you prepare the lemon cream cheese buttercream.
Make the lemon cream cheese buttercream
Use a stand mixer or hand mixer. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth, then add powdered sugar in two additions until incorporated. Mix in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cover and set aside until the cookies are ready to be frosted.
Bake and frost the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop the dough with a large 3 tablespoon cookie scoop and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Place 5–6 cookies per parchment-lined baking sheet and bake both sheets together for 10 minutes. The cookies won’t spread much while baking.
Right after removing from the oven, flatten each hot cookie to about 1/2″ thick using the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat glass—this creates the signature crinkled edges. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet so they set up.
Once cooled, dust the cookies with powdered sugar. Use a 1 tablespoon scoop to add the lemon cream cheese buttercream to each cookie, then spread it nearly to the edge with an offset spatula and finish with a swirl. Optionally, top with extra lemon zest for a bright finish.
Equipment needed
- Stand mixer and/or hand mixer. The dough mixes easily in a stand mixer; the buttercream can be made with a hand mixer if you prefer.
- Kitchen scale (optional). Weighing ingredients is the most accurate method for reliable baking results. If using cups, spoon flour into the cup and level with a flat edge rather than scooping.
- Parchment paper. Baking on parchment prevents sticking and simplifies cleanup.
Soft and Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Author: Elizabeth Buuck
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 11 Large Cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
Thick, soft, and chewy lemon sugar cookies topped with silky lemon cream cheese buttercream—simple to make and full of fresh citrus flavor.
Ingredients
Soft Sugar Cookies
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 TBSP sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add the oil until combined.
- Add vanilla, egg, egg yolk, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix until combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients in two additions until just combined. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop dough with a 3 TBSP scoop and roll into balls. Bake 5–6 cookies per sheet for 10 minutes.
- While hot, flatten each cookie to 1/2″ thick with a flat-bottomed glass to create crinkled edges. Allow to cool completely on the sheet.
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth using a hand mixer.
- Add powdered sugar in two additions and mix until smooth.
- Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- When cookies are cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
- Scoop 1 TBSP frosting onto each cookie and spread almost to the edges, leaving the crinkled rim exposed.
Notes
*Cookies will still be slightly doughy coming out of the oven; cooling completely on the hot sheet allows them to set up while keeping the centers tender.
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