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.
These are adorable, Sommer! So sunny and cheerful, love ’em! Thanks for sharing.
These are adorable! Love the shape and color. And very spring too. Lovely post.
These are beautiful, Sommer! Perfect for Spring!
I’m so envious of my 9 year old’s metabolism! I wish I could eat all day, cuz, I’d be eating these! The color is exquisite! I have a cookie press, but haven’t even taken it out of the box. Shame on me. Now I have a reason!
Sommer, these are perfect! I need those discs you have for your cookie press. Do you mind if I ask where you got them? what brand? thanks!
Ashley, they are from OXO!
So pretty!
Love these! I have a cookie press that I’ve never used — think it’s time to dig it out.
I love lemon cookies. I don’t have a cookie press but I’ve been wanting one. Those cookies are so pretty! Thanks for the link love too, made my day!
Can you mail me the leftovers? Pretty please? Now I need to go buy a spritz cookie press. :)
These cookies are so adorable and cheery! Love it! Time to dust off the cookie press :)
how cute are these? these remind me a lot of girl scout cookies for some reason! these are definitely perfect for ringing in spring!
These are so beautiful Sommer! Love!!
Love lemon cookie sandwiches! Beauties.
lemon cookie sandwiches-always a winner!!!! these look great.
I want to make these with my boys TODAY! Time to stock up on lemons. =)
I LOOOOOVE lemony cookies! These are absolutely gorgeous and I bet the chillins had so much fun baking them up with you! I need to get ahold of your mini cookie maker – my sister-in-law would get tons of use out of one of those as she has 4 kids to bake with!
These are so pretty!!
GASP! They’re so pretty Sommer!!!
And let’s get real, anything with lemon curd means I’m all over it. YES :)