A Butter Cookie Recipe

If knowing one butter cookie recipe is enough, you definitely must try this one. It yields tender cookies with good volume and reasonable shelf life. The lemon icing is made with just enough freshly squeezed lemon juice, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest.

Unbleached all purpose flour 2½ cups
Baking powder ½ tsp
salt ½ tsp
Unsalted butter, softened 1 cup
Granulated sugar ½ cup
Egg 1 large
Grated lemon zest 2 Tbsp
Vanilla extract 1 tsp



ingredients for lemon butter cookies

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

  • Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and set it aside. Cream softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

  • Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well blended.


  • Gradually blend in the flour mixture. I like to do this step manually using a wooden spoon or spatula. There is a tendency to over mix if using an electric mixer.

    Portioning dough before baking per butter cookie recipe

  • Drop level ¼ cupfuls of dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 3-inches apart. Dip bottom of a glass in additional sugar, and use it to flatten dough to about ¼-inch thick.


  • lemon butter cookiesBake for 12 – 15 minutes or until cookies are just set and edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

  • Drizzle lemon icing all over lemon butter cookies before serving. This easy butter cookie recipe yields about a dozen delicious lemon butter cookies.


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