These look like beautifully soft, bakery-style Glazed Lemon Cookies (or lemon ricotta cookies). They are thick, cake-like, and topped with a bright lemon glaze and fresh zest.
Here is the full recipe to make a batch at home.
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 12 minutes
- Yields: About 24 cookies (To make the full tray shown, this standard recipe will cover it!)
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (this keeps them incredibly soft)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
For the Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (adjust for thickness)
- Extra lemon zest for garnishing the tops
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bake the Cookies
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat until fully combined.
- Combine: Slowly add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix, or the cookies will lose their soft texture.
- Scoop: Drop large, rounded scoops of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between them.
- Bake: Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. The bottoms should be lightly golden, but the tops should remain pale and soft. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2: Glaze and Finish
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until completely smooth. If it’s too thick, add a tiny splash more juice; if it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Ice the Cookies: Once the cookies are entirely cool, dip the top of each cookie into the glaze, or spoon it generously over the tops so it drips down the sides like in the photo.
- Zest: Immediately sprinkle fresh lemon zest over the wet glaze so it sticks. Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes before serving.
Pro-Tip: Make sure your cookies are completely cool before glazing! If they are even slightly warm, the icing will melt right off instead of forming that beautiful, opaque white shell seen in the image. Store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
