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Italian Lemon Cookies
5 from 716 votes

Italian Lemon Cookies

Italian Lemon Cookies are tender, lightly lemon-flavored cookies made with a dough that includes all-purpose flour, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice, butter, and powdered sugar. After refrigerating and slicing, the cookies are baked to a pale golden color, then glazed with a lemon-sweetened icing. The glaze adds extra tang and sweetness, complementing the soft, slightly crumbly texture of the cookies.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Chilling Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
Servings: 22 cookies
Calories: 131 kcal
Course: Dessert, Baked Goods
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

LEMON COOKIES
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch 50 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe then double or triple this amount, 2 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest and juice (approx. 2 tablespoons juice and 0.5-1 tablespoon zest
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ¾ cup butter 185 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe then double or triple this amount, softened, 2 tablespoons
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
*I use salted butter, if you use unsalted then increase the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Be sure to use a good quality butter, apparently this year 2022, store brand butter quality is not what it used to be. Less fat could mean a dry not so tasty cookie.
LEMON GLAZE
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh, strained
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 zest lemon

Instructions

LEMON COOKIES
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, zest and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, beat on medium speed the butter and sugar until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Then add half the flour and the lemon juice beat to combine. Then add the remaining flour and with a wooden spoon or spatula combine to form a dough (the dough will be a little sticky, if the dough is too sticky then add 1-2 tablespoons of flour).
  3. Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper and roll the dough into a log approximately 1 1/2 inches (4cm) wide. Wrap the dough in the parchment paper and refrigerate for one hour.
  4. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) slices. Place the slices on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 320F (160C).
  6. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes, then raise the oven temperature to 350F (180C) and continue to bake for 9-10 minutes. The should be light gold in colour. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies can be either dusted with powdered sugar or spread with a lemon glaze. Enjoy!
LEMON GLAZE
  1. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, powdered sugar and zest until smooth.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough before baking helps prevent spreading and maintains cookie shape.
  • Use flour with at least 11% protein to improve cookie texture and structure.
  • Unfrosted cookies keep 5-6 days at room temperature; glazed cookies last 3-4 days refrigerated in a single layer.
  • Refrigerated cookies last up to 7 days; freeze cookies or dough for up to 4 weeks.
  • Dough stores 2-3 days in refrigerator and up to 2 months in freezer if well wrapped.

Nutrition Information

Calories 131kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 17mg (6%) Sodium 58mg (2%) Potassium 18mg (0%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 193IU (4%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 4mg (0%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 22 cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 131

% Daily Value*

Calories 131kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 58mg 2%
Potassium 18mg 0%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 193IU 4%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.