1-Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Let’s walk through making these lemon cookies in a simple way that even beginners can follow. Start by preheating your oven to 375°F and lining baking sheets with parchment paper to keep things neat. This step sets the stage for cookies that bake evenly without sticking.

2-Combine dry ingredients: Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set that aside while you work on the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) softened unsalted butter and 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar until it’s light and fluffy, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer.

3-Add wet ingredients: Then, add 1 large egg and mix it in before stirring in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl for even blending. Gradually add the dry mix to the wet one, stirring on low speed until no flour streaks remain don’t overmix to keep the cookies soft.

4-Shape and bake: Now, shape the dough into 1 ½-inch balls and place them on your prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden but the centers stay soft. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.

5-Prepare icing and frost cookies: For the icing, whisk together 2 cups (228 g) confectioners sugar, 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract if you like. Adjust as needed to get the right thickness, then spread it on the cooled cookies. For more ideas on variations, check out our pumpkin spice latte recipe for fun twists on seasonal flavors.