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These Lemon Drop Cookies remind me of lemon drop candies. They’re nice and tart when you first take a bite and then the lovely powdered sugar sneaks up from behind. They’re light and absolutely perfect with a cup of tea.
What do you do when your husband makes limoncello? You make lemon drop cookies, of course!
These cookies remind me of the lemon drop candies I used to eat when I was little. Do you remember the ones that were shaped like little lemons, tart on the inside but the outside was sugary sweet? They were my favorites! These cookies are exactly the same.
Limoncello
Last Saturday, EJ began another batch of his famous Limoncello. I came home from the store with fifteen beautiful, big lemons for him to begin his project with. He spent the better part of the morning peeling the skins off the lemons leaving me with quite a lot of lemons to use up.
It’s really not a problem for me. I love having fresh lemon juice in the refrigerator. I often put a little bit in my water which encourages me to drink more. I also love to use fresh lemon juice in marinades. But, my very favorite way to use lemon juice is in these Lemon Drop Cookies.
Why This Recipe Works
- They’re nice and tart when you first take a bite and then the lovely powdered sugar sneaks up from behind.
- They’re light and absolutely perfect with a cup of tea.
- There is no chilling of the dough, so you don’t have to wait very long to enjoy them.
Ingredient Notes
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Butter: Make sure to use softened butter in this Lemon Drop Cookie recipe. Softened butter makes it easier to cream together with the sugar. Creaming these ingredients together help to create air pockets. These air pockets are what help make these cookies light and airy. Softened butter should still be cool to the touch but when you press your finger into the butter, your finger will leave an indentation.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar for the cookie dough and powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) for coating the cookies.
- Lemon juice and salt: For flavor.
- Egg: 1 egg is all you need to add structure to the cookies.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: This ingredient gives the cookies a little lift.
- Almonds: I used slivered almonds. Feel free to leave them out for a nut-free cookie.
How To Make This Recipe
- Blend the butter and the granulated sugar in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and the egg and continue to blend.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder together.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour in the slivered almonds and gently stir.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the over and cool.
- Pour the confectioners sugar into a large ziplock bag and gently add the cookies. Seal the bag and shake the cookies a couple of times.
- Remove the cookies from the bag and place them on a wired rack.
Expert Tips
- To measure flour correctly, use a spoon to scoop flour into a measuring cup and slightly overfill. Then, use the back of a knife or other straight edged utensil to level the flour across the cup. Do not scoop the flour. When you scoop, the flour gets packed too tightly and you will end up with more flour than the recipe calls for.
- Use a baking mat or parchment paper to line your cookie sheet. I don’t recommend coating your baking sheet with a butter or oil spray because it creates an overly greasy sheet which will make your cookies spread.
- Do not overbake. Remove the cookies from the oven when the bottoms begin to lightly brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Soften Butter?
The best way to soften your butter is to put it out on the kitchen counter for a half-hour before you want to use it. Another way to quickly soften butter is to put the cold butter in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. If you use this method, be sure to watch carefully – you don’t want the butter to melt at all.
How Will I Know My Cookies Are Done?
You will know your cookies are ready when the bottoms start to turn a light golden color.
Can I Freeze Lemon Drop Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze baked lemon drop cookies for up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
Lemon Drop Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup almonds , slivered
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Blend the butter and the granulated sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and the egg and continue to blend.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder together.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour in the slivered almonds and gently stir.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes (only until the bottoms are lightly browned). Remove them from the oven and cool on a pan for a few minutes.
- Pour the confectioners sugar into a large ziplock bag and gently add the cookies. Seal the bag and shake the cookies in the sugar a couple of times. Remove the cookies from the bag and place them on a wire rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely and coat them with the confectioners sugar again.
You’ll never believe this! I’ve got the exact same dilemmon right now. (See what I did there?) My first ever batch of limoncello is still infusing and there are many peel-less lemons hanging out in the fridge. Thanks for rescuing them! I’ll be making these cookies very soon.
Those look delicious!
Thanks Bobbie, they were so good!!