Five-Ingredient Lemon Sugar Cookies

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Soft, tender lemon sugar cookies made with just five simple ingredients, bursting with bright citrus flavor and a sparkling sugar coating. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 27 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsalted butter into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 90 calories and feeds 24, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 12 min Serves 24 American cuisine 90 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Bakeware worth owning for recipes like this → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Bakeware & baking tools → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Beat in 1 large egg and 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest until well combined.
  3. Step 3: Gradually add 2 cups all-purpose flour, mixing on low until just incorporated.
  4. Step 4: Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in extra granulated sugar to coat. Place the coated balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  5. Step 5: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and bottoms are lightly golden. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Related recipes