The perfume of lemon zest, a gentle hint of juice, and a tender, crumbly bite make these eggless lemon cookies irresistible from the first morsel. Simple to prepare with everyday ingredients, they yield plenty for tea, lunchboxes, and gift boxes.
Ingredients for 60–65 cookies
- All-purpose flour — 4 3/4 cups | 550 g
- Unsalted butter, softened — 1 cup plus 2 tbsp | 250 g
- Cornstarch — 1 1/4 cups | 150 g
- Sugar — 3/4 cup | 150 g
- Neutral sunflower oil — 1/2 cup | 125 ml
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Baking powder — 1 tsp | 4 g
- Vanilla, to taste
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Step-by-step recipe
- Preheat the oven to 356°F | 180°C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Pour in the sunflower oil, then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in batches and quickly bring together a soft, slightly pliable dough that is not sticky.
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then pinch off 0.4–0.5 oz | 12–15 g portions, roll into balls, and arrange on the baking sheet. Lightly flatten with your palm or mark with a fork.
- Bake in batches for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden. Do not overbake: the cookies should stay tender inside.
- Cool on a wire rack and dust generously with powdered sugar.
Nutritional value per 1 cookie (approx.)
| Calories | 100 kcal |
| Protein | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 5.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Fiber | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 25 mg |
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Tips and variations
- For a stronger lemon flavor: add a little more zest or a pinch of citric acid to taste.
- Adjusting sweetness: for less sweetness, reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup | 120 g; for a sweeter cookie, increase it to 3/4 cup | 180 g.
- Shaping: for evenly sized cookies, use a small ice cream scoop or a scale.
- Coating: dust with powdered sugar only after the cookies have cooled completely so it does not melt.
- Freezing: shaped dough balls can be frozen. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
- Storage: keep in an airtight box at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of sunflower oil?
Any refined neutral oil will work: rapeseed, corn, or grapeseed oil. Avoid unrefined oils with a strong aroma.
Why did the cookies turn out hard?
You likely used too much flour or baked them too long. Mix only until you have a soft dough and bake until the edges are lightly golden, not deeply browned.
Can I make a lemon glaze?
Yes. Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until it reaches the consistency of sour cream, then spread over completely cooled cookies. Let set for 30–40 minutes.