Lemon sugar cookies are bright, tender cookies rolled in fragrant lemon sugar for a sparkling, crackled finish. Fresh lemon zest runs through the dough and the coating, so every bite tastes properly of lemon rather than vanilla. Twenty-four sunshine-yellow cookies with crisp edges and soft middles.
MAKES 24 COOKIES
Ingredients
2 cups (480 ml) palm sugar
2½ cups almond flour
3 teaspoons (15 ml) lemon zest, fresh grated, divided
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (210 ml) coconut oil, softened
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Preparation
1.В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Process ½ cup palm sugar with one teaspoon lemon zest in food processor until combined (about 10 seconds). Spread ½ cup of the palm sugar and lemon zest mixture in a shallow dish for rolling. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
2.В В In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and remaining 1½ cups palm sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until well combined. Beat in the vanilla, two teaspoons lemon zest, and then the eggs one at a time until combined (about 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
3.В В Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). Give the dough a few final stirs with a rubber spatula to make sure it is well combined.
4.В В Working with two tablespoons at a time, roll the dough into balls with wet hands, then coat with the palm sugar. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about three inches apart. Flatten the cookies to a three-quarter-inch thickness with the greased bottom of a drinking glass. Sprinkle the remaining palm sugar over the flat tops.
5.В В Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and beginning to brown, but the centers are still soft and puffy (10 to 12 minutes), rotating each baking sheet halfway through the baking. Cookie will spread out and flatten.
6.В В Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Pro Tips
- Divide the zest between the dough and the rolling sugar — zest in both places is what makes the lemon flavour unmistakable.
- Use wet hands when rolling the dough balls in the lemon sugar; the sticky dough picks up the coating cleanly instead of clumping.
- Press the cookies to three-quarter-inch thickness with a greased glass — they spread and flatten as they cool, and an even press gives even edges.
- Bake one sheet at a time so every tray gets a fully preheated oven; staggered trays give you pale, soft cookies instead of crisp-edged ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Fresh juice and zest are both important here. Bottled juice is flat and slightly bitter once baked into a delicate cookie like this.
Why palm sugar instead of white sugar?
It's unrefined and paleo-friendly, with a mild caramel note that flatters the lemon without masking it.
How do I store lemon sugar cookies?
Airtight at room temperature for five days. Layer them with parchment so the sugar coating doesn't stick between cookies.
Can I make them lime instead?
Yes — swap the zest for lime and you have an equally good cookie. Keep the rest of the recipe exactly as written.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Process ½ cup palm sugar with one teaspoon lemon zest in food processor until combined (about 10 seconds).
- Spread ½ cup of the palm sugar and lemon zest mixture in a shallow dish for rolling.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. 2. В В In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and remaining 1½ cups palm sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until well combined.
- Beat in the vanilla, two teaspoons lemon zest, and then the eggs one at a time until combined (about 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed. 3. В В Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). Give the dough a few final stirs with a rubber spatula to make sure it is well combined. 4. В В Working with two tablespoons at a time, roll the dough into balls with wet hands, then coat with the palm sugar.
- Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about three inches apart. Flatten the cookies to a three-quarter-inch thickness with the greased bottom of a drinking glass.
- Sprinkle the remaining palm sugar over the flat tops. 5. В В Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and beginning to brown, but the centers are still soft and puffy (10 to 12 minutes), rotating each baking sheet halfway through the baking.
- Cookie will spread out and flatten. 6. В В Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
