iced lemon sugar cookies

Refreshingly Sweet: Iced Lemon Sugar CookiesAs the days grow warmer and the sun shines brighter, there’s nothing quite like a batch of iced lemon sugar cookies to brighten your day. These delightful treats are perfect for any occasion, whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue, celebrating a birthday, or simply indulging in a sweet afternoon snack. With their zesty flavor and refreshing icing, these cookies are bound to become a favorite in your baking repertoire.
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The Perfect Balance of Sweet and TartWhat makes iced lemon sugar cookies so irresistible? It’s all about the balance of flavors. The cookies themselves are soft and chewy, thanks to the perfect combination of butter, sugar, and flour. But what really sets them apart is the vibrant burst of lemon that comes from both the zest and juice. This bright citrus flavor pairs beautifully with the sweet icing, creating a delicious contrast that’s simply hard to resist.

Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
​Cookies

• 3 3/4 cups/930 mL all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp/30 mL baking powder
• 1/4 tsp/1.25 mL Watkins Mediterranean Sea Salt Grinder, freshly ground
• 1 cup/250 mL unsalted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups/410 mL sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp/5 mL Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla®
• 1/4 tsp/1.25 mL Watkins Organic Pure Lemon Extract
• 1 tsp/5 mL lemon zest
• 3 fl. oz./90 mL lemon juice, strained

Icing

• 2 tbsp/30 mL soften butter
• 3 cups/750 mL powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp/60 mL milk

DirectionsCookies:
In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed until well incorporated. Mix in the extracts, zest and juice. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until it comes together and no flour is visible. Divide the dough into two or three packets and refrigerate the dough until set, about an hour.


Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle some flour on flat surface, using enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking, but not too much or the cookies will be tough. Roll dough out to about 1/8-inch/3-mm thick circle. Use a star (or other) shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Set cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them.


Preheat the oven to 350° F/180° C. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until just golden on the bottoms. Let cookies cool before frosting and decorating.
Makes approximately 24 cookies


Icing:
Combine all of the powdered sugar and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whip attachment. Slowly blend together on low speed. Gradually add in milk. Start with 1 tbsp/15 mL of milk and add more as needed until desired consistency. Divide frosting into smaller bowls. Add 2-3 drops of Watkins Natural Food Coloring to each bowl and mix until blended. For a bolder color add a few more drops of Watkins Natural Food Coloring, blend again and repeat as necessary. Decorate with Watkins Sprinkles and Sugars. Sprinkles & Sugars.
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Total Time: 2 Hours
Prep Time: 2 hours
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes