Lemon Sugar Pastel Glaze Cookies (Print version)

Lemon-infused sugar cookies topped with pastel glaze, ideal for spring celebrations and sweet moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookies

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

10 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2–3 tablespoons milk (whole or 2%)
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - Food coloring, pastel pink, blue, yellow, or green

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium mixing bowl.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Incorporate the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls onto the baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten each slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if necessary.
09 - Divide glaze into separate bowls and tint each with desired food coloring.
10 - Dip cooled cookies in glaze or drizzle over the tops. Allow the glaze to set for at least 20 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The glaze is absolutely foolproof, and secretly, it hides any cracks or dents in the cookie.
  • The lemon flavor comes through so brightly that even people who ‘don’t do sweets’ reach for seconds.
02 -
  • It’s so easy to overbake—watch closely, as the bottoms can turn brown way before the tops.
  • Mixing glaze with too much milk leaves cookies sticky; start small and add milk drop-by-drop for a set finish.
03 -
  • Always zest lemons before juicing—if you forget, it’s almost impossible to zest a squeezed lemon!
  • Sifting powdered sugar saves you from lumpy glaze, and a tiny extra pinch of salt can make flavors pop.
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