Italian Lemon Cookies made easy. A soft, bright, and sweet treat with a light lemon glaze. Perfect for a simple homemade cookie.
Italian Lemon Cookies are soft, light, and full of fresh lemon flavor. This easy recipe makes a simple cookie that feels bright and homemade. The dough comes together quickly, and the lemon glaze adds a sweet touch. These cookies are perfect for holidays, gatherings, or a cozy afternoon treat.
Italian Lemon Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Unsalted Butter and Shortening
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Lemon Zest
- Sugar
- Salt
- Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
- Add the sugar, melted butter, shortening, and vanilla. Mix well. Place a sieve over the bowl and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a spoon to push the dry ingredients through the sieve into the bowl.
- Add the lemon zest and gently mix until everything comes together.
- Pour in the milk and mix again. The batter will be very sticky, so let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before shaping it into twists or knots.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of batter and roll it into a log about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.
- Fold the log in half and twist one end over the other. If you want to make knots, shape the dough into a loop and pull one end through the loop. For knots, you might need a slightly longer log. It may take a few tries to get it right, but this dough is easy to fix. If it doesn’t look good, just press it together and try again.
- Place the shaped cookies on the baking sheet. Bake them for 8–10 minutes, or until the bottoms start to turn light brown. Take them out of the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
Brush the glaze over the tops of the cooled cookies. Set the cooling rack over the baking sheet so the extra glaze can drip off without making a mess. Let the glaze dry before serving.
