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Home » cookies

Published on January 22, 2020 Updated on December 7, 2022. Published by Megan

meyer lemon sugar cookies

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my electric juicer has been seeing ALOT of use the last few weeks. with citrus season here and a bounty of beautiful oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits at my fingertips, its hard not to try them all! as with so many recipes i develop, my favorite way to put a twist on a classic, is to incorporate fresh, seasonal ingredients. I couldn't help but play around with the classic sugar cookie. the result- these meyer lemon sugar cookies that are entirely too delicious!

these cookies have been floating around in my mind for the last year. in fact, the last time i tried developing this recipe was this exact time last year! ive learned a lot of baking techniques and tricks since then (not to mention baking with lots of different flours). it was with a whole year of experience that i decided to give these cookies another go. lets just say... even with all that experience, it still took lots of tries to get this recipe the way i wanted.

there were so many factors to rule in or out - from browning the butter, to using lemon juice (or omitting it all together), lemon extract (or no), almond extract (helps bring out the vanilla flavor), cake flour or all purpose (or a mix of both). even the heat and type of pan played a role in the eventual outcome of the spread and rise of the cookie. freeze or chill in the fridge? it does make a difference! all this to say, this cookie FINALLY came out the way i wanted and im so happy to finally (after a year) share it with you! enjoy!

Meyer lemon sugar cookies

I would describe these cookies as

  • buttery
  • soft
  • chewy
  • aromatic
  • fresh
  • lemon-y
  • tart
  • with delightfully crunchy tops

sweet ingredient list

more than likely you have all the ingredients in your pantry. if not, here's what you'll need:
  • all purpose flour
  • cake flour
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • unsalted butter
  • granulated sugar
  • light brown sugar
  • eggs
  • Meyer lemons (or other lemon of choice)
  • lemon extract
  • vanilla extract
  • almond extract

from these ingredients you will make: meyer lemon sugar cookies and lemon sugar to top them!

baking tools:

you don't need anything too specialized. however, these are the tools I love to use when making these cookies
  • electric juicer (for extracting all the juice possible)
  • zester (a tool I use for all citrus recipes!)
  • stand or electric hand mixer
  • cookie scoop ( to get those perfect size cookies every time)
  • parchment paper or silpat
  • aluminum baking sheets
  • oven thermometer (so helpful to monitor oven temperature)

meyer lemon sugar cookies

a few tips for the best cookies

  • meyer lemons: were used for this recipe, but you could also use regular lemons, or even pink lemons!
  • lemon sugar: was used to sprinkle on top of the cookies. this is completely optional, depending on your preference, BUT it does provide another bright note to the cookie. plus, the crunchy texture is so lovely with the soft chewy cookie.
  • to make the lemon sugar: combine 1/2 c sugar with the zest of one lemon. pulse for 15-20 seconds in a food processor. store the sugar in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks. if using dried zest, you can store as long as you would normal sugar.
  • chill time: i chilled these both in the fridge and in the freezer. the ones from the freezer spread and the ones from the fridge kept their shape much better. chill time for these is about 4 hours - overnight. if you're pressed for time, just make sure they're hard.
  • baking temperature: I noticed a slight difference in appearance when baking these cookies at 350 F and 375 F. as noted in my blood orange tahini cc cookies pan color and baking temperatures make a difference in the overall finished cookie. for this recipe, 375 F for 9-12 minutes was perfect each time. in fact, mine were perfect right at 10 minutes.
  • cookies are best when allowed to cool completely before storing. store in an airtight container in a single layer with a sheet of wax or parchment paper separating a second layer of cookies. keeps for up to 3-4 days at room temperature.
meyer lemon sugar cookies
meyer lemon sugar cookies
meyer lemon sugar cookies
meyer lemon sugar cookies

other delicious citrus recipes

  • Key Lime Cookies
  • Bergamot lemon earl grey tart
  • Vlood orange curd bars
  • Blood orange loaf cake
  • Citrus glazed gingerbread loaf cake
Meyer lemon sugar cookies

meyer lemon sugar cookies

Megan
another classic cookie gets a seasonal and tart twist thanks to lots and lots of meyer lemons. from zest, to juice to extract to sugar, this buttery cookie is packed with lemon flavor. not to mention, they're also perfectly soft and chewy with a bit of crunch thanks to lemon sugar!
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 35 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
chilling time 4 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 45 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 18 cookies

Equipment

  • stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • heavy bottom pan

Ingredients
  

meyer lemon sugar cookies

  • 1 1/4 c all purpose flour (150g)
  • 1 3/4 c cake flour (210g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 sticks (284g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slighly (reduced to 227g or 2 sticks)
  • 1 1/3 c sugar (267g)
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar (45g)
  • 1 large egg , room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • zest from two lemons
  • 2 tsp lemon extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract, optional
  • 2 tbsp lemon jiuice

lemon sugar

  • 1/2 c sugar
  • zest of one lemon

Instructions
 

  • To make the brown butter, melt butter in a clear heavy bottom pot. Once the butter starts to foam, whisk continuously until brown bits start to form. Remove from heat, pour into clean bowl and cool to room temperature (15 minutes).
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and powder and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, with paddle attachment, cream together the browned butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add in eggs and yolk one at a time, beating until each is well incorporated. Add lemon, vanilla and almond extracts, beat until combined. Add lemon juice and beat on lowest setting beat until well incorporated (about 1 minute).
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet 1/3 at a time. Mix on lowest setting until JUST combined. I like to leave about 10% flour mixture visible before adding more. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl before adding the next 1/3. Do not overmix.
    Scoop out dough using a 2" cookie scoop with trigger release onto aparchment lined baking sheet. Dough balls can be close together as you will not be baking these. Loosely over pan in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for minimum 4 hours to overnight.
  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to either 375F. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until cookies are set around the edges. The center may still look slightly underbaked. Pull cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with lemon sugar if using. Cool on the cookie sheet placed on top of a cooling rack for 3-4 minutes. Using a spatula, gently remove cookies from the pan, onto a cooling rack and cool an addiotnal 15-20 minutes.
  • ** to make the lemon sugar pulse sugar and lemon zest in a food processor for 15-20 seconds.
Keyword homemade, meyer lemon cookies, simple, sugar cookies, tart and sweet cookies
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram

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Make sure to tag me on instagram @olivesnthyme. For more delicious dessert ideas follow me on pinterest

make sure to tag me on instagram @olivesnthyme. for more delicious dessert ideas follow me on pinterest.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. roundthetable says

    January 28, 2020 at 11:57 pm

    Hi Megan - these look so good and I'd like to make them, but I'm confused about the eggs listed in the recipe:
    2 large eggs, room temperature
    1 large egg , room temperature
    2 large egg yolks, room temperature

    Is that 3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, or does that need editing?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      January 29, 2020 at 12:07 am

      Hi! thanks for inquiring. That was a mistake on my part. It has been corrected to read 1 egg, room temperature and 2 egg yolks, room temperature. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Jascenth says

    February 03, 2021 at 9:56 pm

    Hi Megan, about how long should the brown butter process take and is it ok to use a regular stainless steal pot?

    Reply
    • Megan says

      February 03, 2021 at 10:01 pm

      Hi Jascenth,

      Browning the butter over low-medium heat takes around 10-15 minutes. Yes! I use a small stainless steel sauce pot when I make mine.

      Reply

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Hi friends, I'm Megan!

Welcome to my blog, Olives + Thyme. I am a food photographer and blogger with a love of all things sweet.

Here you'll find mostly sweet recipes that are simple to make and full of flavor.

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