Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies

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Bite-size Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies are soft not-too-sweet cookies dipped into a sweetly tart glaze. (Traditional and gluten-free recipes are included below.)

Lemon Drop Cookies are tangy, sweet, mouthwatering treats

Lemon Drop Cookies

These Lemon Drop Cookies were so irresistible, that I happily ate cookies in lieu of my dinner. (shhhh, don’t tell the kids, they thought I ate my dinner after they went to bed.)

I’ve been craving a lemon dessert for a couple of weeks now and I had the recipe for these cookies scribbled out and waiting to try.

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I’m happy to say that the cookies were an awesome success and I managed to eat an embarrassing number of them before I finally packed the remaining cookies in a container and sent them home with friends!

Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
  2. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  3. The dough will be somewhat dry and crumbly, but can easily be pressed together. Scoop into 1″ balls and gently roll them smooth between your hands. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are set, but not browned. These will be small, round cookies and shouldn’t flatten or spread much at all. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies

Easy Lemon Glaze

  1. Slowly add the lemon juice into the powdered sugar, stirring until the glaze can be easily stirred and poured.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the top of each cooled cookie.
  3. Allow the glaze to set completely and then transfer the cookies to an airtight container.
  4. They should keep well at room temperature for a few days, or in the freezer for up to two months. 
Easy Lemon Glaze for any cookie

If you love lemon desserts, you’ll want to check out the Lemon Ice CreamLemon Crinkle Cookies, and this 5-Minute Lemon Curd. (I’m serious, FIVE minutes to perfect lemon curd. Make it now and you can thank me later!)

And if you do take my advice and make the lemon curd, you can then make these Lemon Blueberry Parfaits by Baking a Moment.

Lighter than a traditional pound cake, this Glazed Lemon Cake is tender with a bright sweet flavor and the lemon glaze adds the perfect touch–the literal icing on top.

For a dessert that will leave your guests grinning every time, try the Lemon Angel Pie or the Layered Lemon Cheesecake.

Lemon Drop Cookies

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Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies

Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies

4.80 from 20 votes
Bite-size Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies are soft not-too-sweet cookies dipped into a sweetly tart glaze.
Pin Print Review
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 36 small cookies

Ingredients 

  • cups all-purpose flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest finely minced, about 1 large lemon’s worth
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Glaze Ingredients

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

*Gluten-Free Alternative

  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • ¾ cup oat flour
  • ½ cup tapioca starch
  • ¼ cup potato starch
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Instructions

Cookie Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  • The dough will be somewhat dry and crumbly, but can easily be pressed together. Scoop into 1" balls and gently roll them smooth between your hands. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are set, but not browned. These will be small, round cookies and shouldn't flatten or spread much at all. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze Instructions

  • Slowly add the lemon juice into the powdered sugar, stirring until the glaze can be easily stirred and poured. Drizzle the glaze over the top of each cooled cookie.
  • Allow the glaze to set completely and then transfer the cookies to an airtight container. They should keep well at room temperature for a few days, or in the freezer for up to two months. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe will make (20) cookies when made with a 2 tablespoon scoop and formed into 1½-inch balls. (The larger cookies will require 2 additional minutes of baking time.)
This recipe will make (36) cookies when made with a 1½ tablespoon scoop and formed into 1inch balls.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal · Carbohydrates: 7g · Protein: 1g · Fat: 3g · Saturated Fat: 2g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1g · Trans Fat: 1g · Cholesterol: 7mg · Sodium: 37mg · Potassium: 25mg · Fiber: 1g · Sugar: 7g · Vitamin A: 79IU · Vitamin C: 1mg · Calcium: 11mg · Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 8/17/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/31/22}

Lemon Drop Cookies
Glazed Lemon Cookies

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. paula May says

    My dough was really dry and hard to form into balls…everyone loves them. Making another batch today…going to use a little less flour and see if that helps…4 stars

    • Linda says

      I followed the recipe to a T. Checking and double checking my measurements and my cookies fell completely flat. My dough was soft and sticky, I am guessing the flour measurement was off since I measured the flour by scooping it with a spoon into the measuring cup, instead of sticking a cup into the flour to scoop it up. I added more flour to the remaining dough and it’s much better. I wish the flour measurement was by weight so it would be more accurate.3 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      Sorry to hear that the lemon drop cookies didn’t turn out well, Linda. I would guess that you’re probably right about the flour. Hopefully your next batch turns out much more successfully.

  2. Felicia Khaalid says

    There is an egg allergy in my household. Is there an alternative that won’t take away from this recipe?

  3. Halle's Kitchen says

    Absolutely fantastic! Didn’t change a thing, other than adding the slightest amount of yellow gel food coloring to my icing. These have the perfect kiss of lemon ~ They’re soft, yet slightly chewy. Pretty easy and quick to whip up. Definitely adding these to my favorites!5 stars

  4. Alexandra says

    These are so good. I cannot stop eating them. My cookies ended up being a lot flatter than yours. I rolled them into balls, but they flattened out into almost a normal cookie. They were still delicious and had a great texture. Do you know what would cause them to do this?5 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      I’m guessing the flour measurement was just a little bit off, Alexandra. This can also happen when baking at high altitudes if that is a factor for you. I’m glad you liked the cookies!

  5. Donna D says

    These are absolutely DELICIOUS! My grandson asks for them ALL the time. When the kids come to visit, I better have plenty of these on hand. They freeze amazingly well and taste just like the day they were made, right out of the freezer. Thanks for this recipe!5 stars

  6. Donna says

    Yummy! Just want to mention it will take much more than 2 Tbl of lemon juice for the glaze! Awesome cookie! Thank you!4 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      You are welcome, Donna. I’m so glad you loved the lemon cookies. Everyone’s tastes are slightly different; I’ve also had people comment that even 2 tablespoons is far too much. Enjoy, and happy baking!

  7. Tanya says

    Made these for my partner’s birthday and they came out amazing. Followed the recipe exactly except I had to use more lemon juice than called for in the icing (more like 3-4 tbsp). They were so tasty, perfect amount of lemon flavor.5 stars

  8. Jennifer Starkey says

    This recipe is absolutely wonderful! I seen a couple bad reviews but I have to believe that those people did not do exactly what you said, because if you follow the directions precisely, even down to the 10-minute baking time you get a wonderfully soft, very lemony luscious little cookie. Trust me when I say I am a recipe guru and I research over and over before I decide which one I want to take time to bake. I chose this one and I couldn’t be happier it’s definitely going in my recipe book that I keep here for the kids. I’m off to see what other secrets you have on this site and thank you very very much.5 stars

  9. Rachell says

    Hi Mary,
    I am planning to make the lemon drops this Christmas. Can they be made ahead and put in the freezer until I bake them? Also, how long can they be stored?

    Thank you

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Rachell. You should be able to bake these cookies ahead of time and freeze them. If they’re frozen, you should be able to make them now and store them until Christmas. I hope you love the cookies!

  10. Jel says

    Love these cookies! Made than just tonight for the first time to test out before making more for Christmas. Hubby loves them. However, I do have a comment/question regarding the glaze. I’ve had a lot of leftover glaze, and had to add 1-2 more tablespoons of lemon juice because of the 2 cup amount of powdered sugar. Is the 2 cup to 2 tbsp of lemon juice too high of a ratio? I see someone else also had to add more lemon juice so I know I’m not the only one. I don’t mind the excess glaze, but now it seems too lemony. Any advice?5 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Jel. The taste might seem a bit strong on its own, but I would imagine that it’ll be diluted slightly if you serve it with another baked good. Enjoy the lemon cookies!

  11. Jel says

    Thank you for replying so quickly! I think what I was trying to ask is if the 2 cups of powdered sugar was correct or if it should be one? Because it was not drizzly at all with just 2 tablespoons of lemon juice which is why I had to go with 3-4 tablespoons like another commenter. Thank you ahead of time and happy holidays!!!5 stars