4 Ingredient Lemon Sugar Cookies
These lemon flavored sugar cookies are soft and chewy. They are just 4 ingredients and are egg-free. The cookies are easy to make and ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter , softened
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (108g) granulated white sugar, plus additional 1 tbsp for dipping
- 1 cup (135g) self-rising flour , see note before starting
- 1 tbsp (5.4g) lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Using the flat paddle attachment, beat at medium speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and mix until the butter mixture is creamy and light, about 30 seconds. You will need to stop and scrape the sides of your bowl once or twice with a spatula so that the butter mixture gets mixed properly.
- Add in flour. Mix on low speed until flour is completely incorporated and a soft dough forms. Add in the lemon zest and mix on low speed for a few seconds until the zest is evenly mixed in.
- Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop out dough. Place onto prepared cookie sheet, spacing the dough about 1.5 to 2 inches apart.
- If garnishing with sugar, add 1 tbsp sugar to a small bowl. Take each dough ball and gently press the top into the sugar before placing them back onto the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies about 12-14 minutes or until edges start to turn light brown. Let cookies cool on baking sheet before removing. Do not attempt to remove them before they are cooled because they will still be very soft and not fully set. Once cooled, the cookies are ready to eat. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container for 1 day at room temperature and longer in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Self-rising flour: There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup (30g)) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup (30 g)). Brands like King Arthur Flour and White Lily make the low protein flour. Brands like Gold Medal and most store/generic brands contain a regular protein amount. The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, you want a flour with a regular amount of protein. Please use a self-rising flour with 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup (30 g). Or make your own self-rising flour with the recipe below.
- I made these with Gold Medal self-rising flour*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Homemade self-rising flour: Whisk together 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/4 teaspoon salt. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Most brands in the US contain this amount but there are some brands with higher protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup) such as King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill. You do not want a high protein flour because the cookies will turn out dry.
- Extra Sugar Garnish Note: Dipping the tops of the cookies in sugar before baking will give them a sweeter finish. Without it, they will have a sweet and salty finish. Some people love sweet and salty for their cookies. My family prefers just sweet so I like dipping them in a little extra sugar.
- I don't recommend using lemon juice in the cookies. If you want extra lemon flavor you can add 1-2 drops of lemon extract.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 124kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 108mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 8g, NET CARBS: 15
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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