Lemon Cookie Recipe
This Lemon Cookie Recipe is a fun and simple baking project for kids. Load that cookie gun and let’em at it!
When I was a little girl, there were very few things I liked doing more than baking with my mom.
On the weekends, we would crowd in the kitchen to either replicate one of grandma’s precious recipes or dream up something new. I particularly liked baking when “special equipment” was involved.
Things like bundt pans, cookie cutters, or the utmost favorite kitchen tool… the cookie press, made our baking projects even more exciting.
My mom would load the cookie press with brightly colored dough and let us take turns shooting the cookie sheets. We would change the disks periodically so the cookies came out in all sorts of shapes. Yet the very best part of making pressed cookies is how tiny they are. Little cookies in a child’s mind, means more cookies.
Instead of eating one to two large cookies, we could gobble them by the handful.
Sigh… those were the days.
So it’s no surprise that my children love to use the cookie press just as much as I did. Their eyes twinkle as they move the guns over the cookie sheets, feeling in control and very professional.
When we made this lemon cookie recipe, Ava told me, “Mom it’s like we have our own little cookie factory. They all come out so perfect!”
Not only is the shape perfect, this lemon cookie recipe is pretty spot-on as well.
Some pressed cookie doughs tend to get tough, but not this one. They bake up tender with a vibrant lemon flavor, yet are not overpowering. The lemon frosting sandwiched between these cookies is thick and just sweet enough. It is meant to act as a glue more than a filling, but still provides that creamy tang that makes these lemon cookies pop!
Oh, to have the metabolism of a kid again. I would still eat these by the handful.
More Lemon Treats
Lemon Peppercorn Italian Ice
Lemon Layered Mousse Cake
Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars ~ Chocolate Chocolate and More Chocolate
Meyer Lemon Mug Cakes ~ All Day I Dream About Food
Lemon Cheesecake Mousse ~ Miss in the Kitchen
Lemon Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookies Dough:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon curd
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2-3 drops yellow food coloring optional
- Yellow decorating sugar optional
For the Lemon Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon curd
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Then beat in the salt, egg, vanilla, lemon curd, lemon zest and food coloring. Scrape the bowl and beat again to combine. Slowly add the flour until just combined.
- Scoop the dough into a cookie press. Press the cookies onto ungreased baking sheets (no parchment paper.) Bake for 8-10 minutes. If using decorating sugar, sprinkle it on the cookies immediately as they come out of the oven. Cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheets before moving.
- Using a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon curd together for the frosting. Place it in a piping bag (or use a zip bag and snip off the corner).
- Then flip half the cookies over and pipe a dollop of frosting on the bottoms. Top each frosting dollop with a second cookie and press gently. Store the cookies in an airtight container until ready to serve. Makes 60 cookies, 30 sandwich cookies.
What beautiful little spring treats! I can see why kids and adults would love these! Thank you for sharing. Maybe if I have time I can make these for my baby shower! Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
Love that you made these sweet cookies with the press ~ gorgeous for spring!
These are absolutely gorgeous — lemon cookies is one of my all time favoritism!!
Oh my goodness, these are beautiful! I’m on such a lemon kick lately so these are definitely happening in my life ASAP.
These little cookies make me happy just to look at them, they’re like little sunshines :)
These are SO cute!!
What went through my mind? ‘Now why do I do these ONLY for Christmas?’ That needs to change; nothing I love more than a light, lemony cookie.
Lemon desserts are my favorite. These look amazing, Sommer! Very spring-y!
I have a cookie press, but I still haven’t attempted to use it. I need to do that–these look awesome!
These cookies look so soft and delicious! Perfect for spring!
I need myself a cookie gun!!
These are just so pretty Sommer – I wish I was more of a baker. So bright and pretty for Spring!
These are so cute! I have never made cookies with lemon in them, but that is about to change!
These are just precious!!! Lemon curd is delish and the shape of these cookies – too cute!!! xoxo
These are so beautiful!
LOVE. IT. “Shooting cookie sheets” in the “cookie factory”! No better way to spend the day baking in the kitchen. Also, Sommer, love the yellow sugar sprinkles that make these Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies sparkle and shout, “Spring is here!” Just beautiful! xo
These are so adorable! I bet they taste even better :)
Those look so good and that creamy lemon curd filling sounds really good! A perfect spring treat!