Chewy glazed lemon cookies, made with fresh lemon and zest in the cookies and in the delicious lemon glaze drizzled over them while they are still warm. These cookies are a lemon lovers dream come true!
Two of my favorite things on EARTH… lemon and COOKIES!! These Chewy Glazed Lemon Cookies are perfect in every way.
If you have just joined me here, you may not know about my love affair with all things lemon. It’s truly one of my MOST FAVORITE flavors of all.
Though I love to bake, I am not tempted by a lot of baked goods…. with the exception of COOKIES. I think it’s just they are so little and portable, and you feel like “one couldn’t hurt….” (followed by another and another….)
I found this lemon cookie recipe on Pinterest a while back, and couldn’t wait to make them!
Then my sister came to see me on the weekend of my birthday, from San Diego. Guess what she brought me??
FRESH LEMONS from her gorgeous backyard!!
She has a backyard that should be in Better Homes and Gardens. I am so envious of it!! And I seriously LOVE her lemon trees!!
My “Sister” Teresa
Teresa and Me in downtown Omaha in 2014. Truth be told, Teresa isn’t my sister by birth.
But she and I have been friends for almost 4 decades now. *gulp* There I go showing my age again!
Here we are again in 2020.
She’s God-Mom to two of our kids and the best Aunt to all of them! She has the kindest sweetest heart of anyone I know.
We have always referred to each other as “sister,” and I couldn’t be prouder to call her mine!
The first time that I made these cookies I shipped a special care package to Teresa for her and her hubby to enjoy. They loved them!
I know that you will too!
How to make Chewy Glazed Lemon Cookies
They come together quickly and easily. Aside from the gift of fresh lemons from my sister’s backyard, I always have everything on hand in my pantry. No crazy ingredients here, friends.
Of course, if you don’t have access to fresh lemons from a tree — the store ones will work fine!
The cookies and the glaze are full of fresh lemon juice and zest.
If you like to use citrus in your cooking and baking, these two tools right here are a must. You’ll love the Citrus Zester and the Citrus Juicer.
Cream together butter, sugar, and zest until it’s fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla.
Sift in your dry ingredients, and mix to combine.
I used my cookie scoop to get the dough balls all the same size. Placing them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
The cookie scoop I use holds 1 Tablespoon. It makes the perfect sized cookies.
Using a glass with a smooth bottom, gently press the cookies down to flatten them. I dip mine in a little flour to help them release.
When I made them the first time, I baked the cookies with the dough balls placed on the cookies sheet as per the original recipe, and the cookies didn’t spread out for me?
The rest of the cookies I baked after taking a glass and pressing the cookies down a bit before baking.
Cool them slightly before transferring them to a cooling rack. Mix up the glaze, and drizzle over the cookies.
I have done a little “puddle” of glaze, too. I prefer the look of the drizzle!
They bake up light and crisp on the outside and chewy in the center.
The baking time states 9 to 11 minutes. I take mine out at 9. The centers won’t look quite done, but once they cool on the cookie sheet a couple of minutes they are perfect.
Leave them in for the 11 minutes if you prefer a crisper cookie.
Love These Lemon Cookies? Pin Them!
Don’t forget where you found this recipe! Pin them to your favorite Pinterest board before you go!
Lemon Recipes from An Affair from the Heart
Do you love Lemon like I do?? I bet you would love these other Lemon Recipes! I have a couple of favorites here… or simply search “lemon” to get ALL of them!
- Lemonade Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling
- No Bake Lemon Raspberry Cheesecakes
- Pink Lemonade Cake
- Lemon Ice Cream
- Glazed Lemon Bars
- Lemonade Chex Mix
I hope that these lemon cookies become a family favorite of yours, too. Let’s get to that recipe, shall we? 
This recipe was originally posted in June of 2014. It was updated in March of 2020 to improve user experience.
Chewy Glazed Lemon Cookies
Chewy glazed lemon cookies, made with fresh lemon and zest in the cookies and in the delicious lemon glaze drizzled over them while they are still warm. These cookies are a lemon lovers dream come true!
Ingredients
- cookies:
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons (about 1 1/2 Tablespoons)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In your mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip together butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed, until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Blend in egg, then egg yolk. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Scoop dough out by the heaping Tablespoonfuls, form dough into balls and drop onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. With the bottom of a glass, gently "flatten" the dough ball.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven for 9 - 11 minutes (for a gooey centered cookie closer to 9 and a more set, fluffy cookie more near 11).
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.
- Drizzle slightly warm cookies with **Lemon Glaze.
- Store in a single layer in an airtight container.
- **Lemon Glaze: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to reach a drizzle-able consistency. Pour mixture into a resealable bag, seal bag and cut a small tip off one corner then drizzle glaze over slightly warm cookies. Alternatively, you can use a spoon. Allow glaze to set at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g
Nutrition isn't always accurate.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know! Snap a picture, share the photo on social media with the hashtag #AnAffairFromTheHeart – I’d love to see what you made! – Michaela
Platter Talk says
I can’t imagine how these could look any more inviting, especially as a summer treat. Thank you so much for this awesome cookie recipe! Beautifully done!
Debi @ Life Currents says
This sounds awesome! Lemon cookies are one of my favorites! And, chewy goodness ones like this have to rock! Your pictures are awesome as well! drool drool! 🙂
Nicole Neverman says
Oh my!! What beautiful little cookies! I love these. I’m also super pleased to see I have all the required ingredients 🙂 I love the lemon glaze too, great touch.
Teresa says
My Sweet, Awesome Sister couldn’t be any more talented!! These cookies were almost too beautiful to eat….Almost!! 🙂
I wish we could hang out everyday, but then we would be Huge!!
Kala, you definitely have many gifts, but your excellence in the kitchen is one that brings happiness to so many people.
Sending you much love and hugs until we are back in the same place. xoxo
-T
P.S. Not one beautiful, delicious lemon cookie was broken! Thank you again for your thoughtfulness & creativity!
Michaela Kenkel says
I love you to pieces, my sister!! I would bring you cookies every day if I could!! (peanut free of course!) xxoo Miss you ooxx
Renee's Kitchen Adventures says
I’m pretty smitten for just about anything lemon!
Sandra - The Foodie Affair says
Goodness these lemon cookies look scrumptious! What a cute care package you made too!
Joanne T Ferguson says
G’day! Your lemon cookies sounds and looks delish! Wish I could try one now with my coffee!
Cheers! Joanne @ What’s On The List
Aunt Bee says
Up at 2:30 AM and all I can think about are these DANG Lemon Cookies!!! They look SO good!!!!
Kecia says
I can just about smell the lemons on that tree, what gorgeous cookies!
Joanne/WineLady Cooks says
We are lemon fans here as well as cookie fans. Can’t wait to try your chewy glazed Lemon Cookie recipe. My grandson is always asking me if I can find a recipe for a chewy cookie, I try but haven’t found one until now, this maybe the ‘one’ he’s looking for.
Joanne
Teresabear says
These cookies are incredible! I can’t get over how moist they are and stay. I have to make these cookies at least once every two weeks. My husband doesn’t care for them glazed, he’s not into really sweet things, so I leave his plain. But my son can’t get enough of them! Everybody who has tried these cookies falls in love. This recipe is worth every single calorie!
Michaela Kenkel says
Teresa, Comments like your are the reason I do what I do!! thank you so much for your positive feedback! <3 I am so happy your family is enjoying this recipe!
Shari says
I made these today, exactly as written, and I was compelled to write. This is the best, most delicious lemon cookie I have ever tasted! We have a lemon tree, and lots of lemons to use, and now, with this recipe, I am in trouble! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Michaela Kenkel says
Shari- you just absolutely made my day!! Thank you so much for sharing with me! ?
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
Oh I love lemon cookies and these look so chewy and delicious! Definitely going to be making these with the kids.
Caitlyn Erhardt says
My family loved these lemon cookies! Great flavor and simple to make.
ali randall says
These cookies turned out so good. I love the flavor of lemon and these are great for spring. My kids loved them and I should have doubled the recipe. 🙂
Michaela Kenkel says
Mine love them so much, too!
Krissy Allori says
All the fresh lemon in these cookies really sounds amazing. My husband loves lemon flavored dessert so I’m going to save this to make for him. Thanks!
Anita says
I still have some lemons at home. Time to bake some lemon cookies. 🙂
Saif says
I never tried Glazed Lemon Cookies but it absolutely looks delicious. This is perfect to eat with hot tea.
Nancy Goff says
Wow! I made my first batch of these fantastic, beautiful, delicious, remarkable lemon cookies this morning. Oh, they are Good. This is one recipe I will be using over and over.
Many thanks.
Michaela Kenkel says
Nancy – I am SO HAPPY to hear that you liked them! They are one of my favorites FOR SURE!