Glazed Lemon Cookies

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Like tart lemonade in cookie form, these glazed sweets hit all the right notes.

Glazed Lemon Cookies
Whisk confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest together to make the tasty glaze topping. Get the recipe. Photo: Kana Okada
Hands On Time:
20 mins
Chill Time:
30 mins
Bake Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 45 mins
Yield:
48 cookies

This recipe has holiday season written all over it. An easy slice-and-bake dough guarantees perfectly round cookies, and the creamy tart glaze sets in just 15 minutes, making these treats ideal for toting to holiday parties and get-togethers. Once you've formed the dough into logs, you can freeze it for up to two months. Make a few batches way in advance to cut down on prep time, and then slice, bake, and glaze the cookies the night before you need them.

Bonus: Sneaking a few warm ones is guaranteed to elevate your holiday spirit level.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more if necessary

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

  1. With an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and salt, and then beat to combine. Gradually add flour, mixing until just incorporated.

  2. Divide dough in half and shape into 1¼-inch-diameter logs. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

  3. Heat oven to 350°F. Slice logs into ⅜-inch-thick pieces and space them 1½ inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

  4. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until it forms a thick but pourable glaze (add more lemon juice if necessary). Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and let set, about 15 minutes.

Chef's Notes

To wrap: Give a nut tin a second life. Wipe it clean with a damp towel, then peel off the label. Tie a bow with extra-wide ribbon to hide any glue remnants. Note: If nut allergies are a concern, use a coffee can instead.

To freeze: Instead of refrigerating the dough, freeze the logs for up to 2 months. To bake, follow the recipe instructions, cutting and baking the dough from frozen, and use the upper end of the time range.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

68 Calories
3g Fat
10g Carbs
1g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Calories 68
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 11mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 1g

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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