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Sugar Cookies · Lemon Cut-Out

Lemon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Crisp-edged, tender cut-out cookies flavored with fresh lemon zest and dipped in a tangy lemon glaze. Rolling the dough between parchment means no extra flour and no sticking.

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Prep
40 min
Cook
30 min
Total
3 hr
Serves
30 · about 30 three-inch cookies
Level
Medium

Ingredients

Dough

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, 150 g
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (375 g)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Lemon glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar, 240 g
  • 3–4 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
  • gel food coloring, a tiny drop (optional)

Steps

  1. In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is damp and smells strongly of lemon.
  2. Add the soft butter and beat on medium speed until light and creamy.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
  4. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
  6. Divide the dough in half. Put one half between two large sheets of parchment and roll it 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with the other half.
  7. Stack the rolled sheets (still in their parchment) on a sheet pan and refrigerate until firm.
  8. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two sheet pans with fresh parchment.
  9. Peel the top parchment off one sheet of dough. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, cutting them close together.
  10. Lift the shapes onto the lined pans with a thin spatula, about 1 inch apart.
  11. Bake one pan at a time until the edges are barely golden.
  12. Gather the scraps, roll them between parchment once more, chill 10 minutes and cut more cookies.
  13. Let the cookies sit on the pan 5 minutes, then move them to a rack until completely cool.
  14. Whisk the powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth. Add more juice a teaspoon at a time until it flows slowly off the whisk. Tint it if you like.
  15. Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze, or spread it on with a small spatula, and set the cookies on the rack.
  16. Let the glaze set until it is dry to the touch.

Tip: If the dough gets soft while you cut, slide the sheet back into the fridge for 10 minutes. Cold dough keeps sharp edges.

Tip: Bake similar-size shapes together so small ones do not over-brown.

Tip: The glaze should be thick enough to coat but thin enough to settle smooth. If it runs off the sides, stir in more powdered sugar.

Storage: Once the glaze is dry, store in a single layer or between sheets of parchment in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Make ahead: Rolled dough keeps in the fridge 3 days or the freezer 2 months. Thaw frozen sheets in the fridge before cutting.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 150 calories · protein 2 g · carbohydrates 23 g · fiber 0 g · sugars 13 g · fat 6 g (saturated 4 g) · sodium 40 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.