Lemon Sugar Cookies are perfectly chewy sugar cookies with just the right amount of sweet lemon flavor. And I’ve found the BEST lemon bakery emulsion to ensure the lemon flavor is spot on every time.

Several sugar cookies and cut lemons on the counter with text on the photo that reads "lemon sugar cookies" and a "like & share" button.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe

These Lemon Sugar Cookies are great for when you want something a little fancier than a regular cookie, but without any extra work. No extra frosting or other frills, just the perfect hint of lemon that elevates a regular sugar cookie. This would be a great cookie to make for a baby shower, bridal shower, birthday party, Easter, or just to celebrate spring!

Cookies and lemon slices stacked up together on the counter.

Ingredients for Lemon Sugar Cookies

Salted Butter (softened) – I always use salted butter in my cookies. If you only have unsalted, just add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
Margarine (softened) – If needed, you can substitute the margarine for more butter. Just note that the cookies won’t spread as much.
Granulated Sugar
Egg
Light Corn Syrup – Corn syrup helps the final cookie to have an extra chewy texture.
Lemon Bakery Emulsion – I swear by Lorann Oils Lemon Bakery Emulsion. The lemon flavor is there, but not overpowering and it’s a sweet lemon, not tart. However, you can substitute for lemon extract if needed.
All Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Salt

Balls of cookie dough on parchment paper on the counter.

How to Make Lemon Sugar Cookies

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, then set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the margarine, butter, and sugar until well combined.
Scrape the sides of the bowl to include all ingredients, then add the egg, corn syrup, and lemon bakery emulsion. Mix until combined.
Next add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Continue to mix until a dough forms.
Now portion the dough out into your desired cookie size. For small cookies, use 1 1/2 tsp of dough (#50 scoop) or for larger cookies use about 3 tbsp of dough.
Arrange the cookie dough balls evenly on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookie dough at 350°F until they have flattened, spread, and the center of the cookie is no longer wet and glossy – this means they are ready to come out of the oven.
For small cookies, this will be about 7-9 minutes. For larger cookies, this will be about 9-11 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool directly on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Store your lemon sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Several lemon sugar cookies and slices of lemon on a cooling rack on the counter.

How to store leftover cookies:

Store your leftover cookies in a zip top bag or airtight container. They will save at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to freeze cookies:

To freeze leftover cookies, lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then place in the freezer for about an hour. Once frozen for about an hour, you can then stack the cookies in a zip top bag or airtight container without them sticking together and place in the freezer again for up to 3 months.

Lemon cookies, lemon slices, and full lemons on the counter with a striped towel in the background.

Recipes Similar to Lemon Sugar Cookies