These (new and improved) soft egg free lemon cookies will melt in your mouth! They're made quickly with fresh lemon and simple ingredients. This is a smaller batch, making 12 cookies, so plan to double it if you're baking for a crowd.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Servings: 12cookies
Author: Lisa Ngo, Safely Delish
Ingredients
2/3cupsugar
1/2cupbutter, softened
2 1/2Tbsplemon juice
1Tbspapplesauce, level (I use unsweetened, but sweetened will also work just fine)
1Tbsplemon zest (or about 1 lemon, zested)
1/2tspvanilla extract
1 1/2cupsall purpose flour
1/2tspbaking powder (not soda)
1/2tspsalt
For Rolling
1 1/2Tbspgranulated sugar
1/4cupconfectioners/powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In large bowl mix together butter, sugar, lemon juice & zest, applesauce, and vanilla until combined.
In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry mix to wet ingredients, and stir or mix until combined.
Roll dough into balls (about 2 Tablespoons each). Roll cookies in granulated sugar, then roll generously in confectioners sugar before placing on cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart. For taller cookies, leave round – for flatter cookies, press gently with hand down to 1/2-3/4" thickness.
Bake for 10-11 minutes at 350F. Remove before they begin to brown, as they will continue to set on the pan after removing.
Allow cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes on cookie sheet, before transferring to wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container once fully cooled.
Notes
(Note: This recipe was improved in April 2023. If you're looking for the previous recipe – omit the applesauce; and use 1 1/3 cups flour and 3/4 tsp baking powder in place of what's listed here).