She’s the Goose
From the Oven · Every Season
Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies
Zest rubbed into the sugar by hand, soft centers left pale, and a thin lemon glaze. Better on the second day than the first.
Rubbing the zest into the sugar by hand takes thirty seconds and is where all the flavor lives.
Ingredients
The dough
- 2¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract
The lemon glaze
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Tiny pinch of salt
- Finely grated lemon zest, optional
Method
- 01
Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- 02
Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar for about 30 seconds, until fragrant and slightly damp.
- 03
Cream the lemon sugar and butter 2–3 minutes, until light. Beat in the egg and yolk, then the lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon extract.
- 04
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix into the butter mixture just until combined; do not overmix.
- 05
Chill the dough 30–45 minutes.
- 06
Portion into 40–45 g balls, arrange two inches apart, and flatten the tops slightly.
- 07
Bake 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
- 08
Rest on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
- 09
Whisk the glaze ingredients until thick but drizzleable. Drizzle over the completely cooled cookies; add zest if you like.
- 10
Let the glaze set 1–2 hours before storing.
Notes
Store at room temperature with parchment between the layers — do not refrigerate. They stay soft, and the flavor deepens over two days.
Skip fresh lemon slices as decoration when storing; they release moisture.