Lemon Cooler Cookies
You’ll love these nostalgic Lemon Cooler Cookies, they’re loaded with lemon zest and coated in powdered sugar… melt in your mouth delicious! This zesty treat tastes just like the original lemon coolers we all remember from childhood!
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Lemon Coolers are the perfect bite sized, zesty lemon cookie that you can enjoy as a sweet snack with coffee or tea or anytime you want a lemon treat!
Sunshine Lemon Coolers
If you remember Sunshine Lemon Coolers, then you will know where I got the inspiration for these homemade lemon cooler cookies!
They came in a green and yellow box, do you remember them? When Keebler bought out Sunshine Bakery, that was the end of the beloved Sunshine Lemon Cooler Cookies, but fear not… this copycat lemon coolers recipe is just like the original!
They also remind me of Charleston Lemon Coolers, if you happen to have had that classic Southern cookie! These cookies are truly the perfect blend of zesty, tart and sweet!
Lemon Cooler Cookies
If you are a lemon lover, you must try these, they are the best lemon powdered cookies! I must admit, I’m typically not a big lemon dessert lover, but these are some of my favorite cookies. They fit in the palm of your hand and taste so tender, slightly crispy and still soft on the inside. DELISH!
Lemon Cooler Ingredient Notes
Butter – either unsalted butter or salted butter is fine. If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. Make sure your butter is at room temperature, so it’s slightly soft to the touch.
Sugars – You’ll use both granulated white sugar and powdered sugar (also called confectioner’s sugar) in these cookies. It helps give them a super tender texture!
Egg – You’ll need 1 large egg. Baking tip – make sure your egg is at room temperature!
Fresh Lemon Zest – This is the most important ingredient! This is my favorite zester for citrus fruits, I use it all the time! Sometimes lemon cookies call for lemon extract, but I find the combination of lemon zest and lemon juice to taste much better!
Lemon Juice – Ideally, use fresh lemon juice straight from your lemon after zesting it, but you can substitue in store-bought lemon juice if necessary.
Vanilla Extract – Just a touch of vanilla is perfect in these lemon coolers!
Cake Flour – I suggest cake flour for this lemon cooler cookies recipe because it produces a more delicate cookie, but no worries if you can’t find cake flour. You can make your own!
Handy Tip: Make Your Own Cake Flour
To make 1 cup of cake flour, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons and discard. Replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Now you have 1 cup of cake flour! Note, this recipe calls for 2 cups, so you’ll do that method twice!
Baking Powder – Don’t skip this important ingredient!
Lemon Powdered Sugar Coating – You’ll use more powdered sugar and then lemonade mix to make the delicious coating for these cookies. I suggest using Kool-Aid lemonade drinking mix (the powder) or True Lemon Lemonade which is like a crystallized lemon mix. Use just a touch (you can always add more).
I suggest starting at 1/2 teaspoon. You can also leave this off and just coat your lemon cookies in regular powdered sugar too.
Make-Ahead Tips and Lemon Cookie Storage
If you want to make the lemon cookie dough ahead of time, just keep it covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.
Store leftover lemon coolers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Lemon Coolers Cookies: Baking Tips
- The dough will be sticky, you can refrigerate it for an hour to make it easier to scoop or just coat your hands in a little bit of flour.
- Allow your lemon coolers to cool completely before coating in the lemony powdered sugar so it doesn’t melt or get sticky on the warm cookie.
I suggest a double batch of these crisp lemon cookies, they have the perfect amount of sweetness!
More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Try:
I hope you love these crispy lemon cookies, bursting with lemon flavor! They’re the perfect lemony treat that will remind you of the original lemon coolers!
Lemon Coolers
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Powdered Sugar Coating
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered lemonade drinking mix - such as Kool-Aid or True Lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars (granulated sugar and powdered sugar) until light and fluffy.
- Add in egg, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extracts. Beat until combined.
- Add cake flour and baking powder, in two increments and beat on low until just combined. Bake right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Use a small cookie scoop and make 1-inch round cookie dough balls and place two inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Using the bottom of a glass or your hands, gently press down each cookie until slightly flattened.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Ovens vary so watch closely. If making larger cookies, increase baking time slightly.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small, shallow bowl, toss together powdered sugar and lemon mix. You can leave out the powdered lemon mix and just use powdered sugar, if desired. Toss each cookie in the powdered sugar mix and repeat with remaining cookies.
thanks for sharing the recipe!
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