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Lemon Cookies with Frosting

These lemon cookies are sandwiched with vanilla frosting and are melt-in-your-mouth delicious! They are like little buttons of happiness!

How to make lemon sandwich cookies

How to get the best lemon flavor

Sometimes baking with lemon results in losing all of the lemon flavor. There are two tricks to getting the most out of fresh lemons in baking.

  1. Use the lemon zest rather than the juice. Lemon juice just gets lost, and the flavor bakes away. The zest is much more flavorful!
  2. Rub the zest into the sugar before mixing ingredients. This releases the natural oils in the lemon zest and brings out way more flavor.

Frequently asked questions about lemon cookies

  1. Why are my cookies spreading? The number one reason these cookies spread out and become flat instead of cute little buttons is if you don’t chill the dough. I like to scoop the dough and roll into small balls first and then chill. You can put them in the fridge for an hour or just pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes while you heat up the oven.
  2. How do I make buttercream super smooth? This is the easiest step! Simply combine all of the ingredients and beat until very smooth and creamy. I usually let it go about 5 minutes to get it extra smooth.
  3. How do I make ahead? These cookies can be baked right from frozen with an added minute or two to the baking time. You can make the cookie dough and scoop it ahead of time. Store in the freezer in a labeled ziploc bag and bake when you are ready!
  4. How do I store the baked cookies? Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, in the fridge up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
  5. Can these be made without eggs? Yes! Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer works great in this recipe.

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Recipe by Laura DuensingCourse: Dessert
Servings

24

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

These lemon cookies are sandwiched with vanilla frosting and are melt-in-your-mouth delicious! They are like little buttons of happiness!

Ingredients

  • LEMON COOKIES
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening

  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar

  • 2 eggs*

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Zest of 2 lemons

  • 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon (5g) salt

  • LEMON VANILLA FROSTING
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 3 cups (300g) powdered sugar

Directions

  • LEMON COOKIES
  • Combine the lemon zest and sugar in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. This releases the oils and flavor in the lemon zest.
  • Cream together the butter, shortening and sugar with a mixer until smooth.
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla mixing until smooth.
  • Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  • Roll dough into small, 1/2 inch balls and place on a parchment paper lined tray. The dough will be quite sticky so you may need to flour your hands to make this easier.
  • Refrigerate the scooped cookie dough for an hour or put in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking for fluffier cookies.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line cookies trays with parchment paper. Place chilled cookie dough on the trays about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake at 375 degrees F. for 8 – 10 minutes. The edges should be starting to brown just a teensy bit for soft, chewy cookies.
  • Remove the parchment with the cookies from the tray when it comes out of the oven to cool so they don’t continue to bake.
  • LEMON VANILLA FROSTING
  • Combine all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Add more liquid (lemon juice, vanilla or milk) or more powdered sugar as needed to get the consistency you like.
  • Spread half the cookies with frosting and add another cookie on top.

Notes

  • *Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer works great in place of the eggs in this recipe! I have also tried it with flax egg without any issues, but you can taste the flax seed in the final cookie.

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