Soft and chewy with luscious lemon frosting, these Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies are the perfect sweet ending to a meal or after school snack. But watch out, it is hard to stop at just one!
Every time I walk into our local grocery store, I have to weave my way through the bakery, past piles of delicious baked goods that I can’t have because they are made with regular flour. Most items I don’t care about, but when they have their soft, chewy sugar cookies with frosting, I feel a pang of regret. These Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies are my answer, a gluten-free (or regular) version that is sure to satisfy any cravings!
Flecks of vanilla add pops of flavor in every bite
I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of sugar cookies, especially when they have a touch of citrus zest in them. I have always loved the flavor combination. Today I used lemon, but you could use orange, kumquat, grapefruit, lime, etc. Whatever you have on hand and like will work.
Buttercream frosting is something we all need to master if we’re making layer cakes or covering today’s Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies. You want a consistency that is easy to spread and not too thin. I like to use an offset spatula for the easiest spreading. I use the back side and spin the cookie as I am frosting it.
If you don’t already have a spring-loaded scoop to portion out doughs, you really need to get one (or more). They make it incredibly fast and give you equal balls of dough that result in the most beautiful cookies that are all the same size! I can portion an entire baking sheet of cookies in half the time it would take using two spoons. Impeccably round balls with a natural flat side are very easy to bake and give you perfect cookies every time!
Today we are enjoying these delightful Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Lemon Buttercream Frosting … oh yeah, they are delectable and would make a delightful treat anytime for an after school treat or dessert for any occasion!
Happy Chocolate Monday!
Key Ingredients for Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies:
- All-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- Baking powder and salt
- Butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla
- Mini white chocolate chips
- Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, yellow food coloring (optional)
PRO Tip:
If you want to avoid the dark coloring of ordinary vanilla, you can buy a “white” vanilla, helping you get cleaner colors in white or light colored baked goods.
How to make Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies:
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- Beat the butter with sugar until light and fluffy; add lemon zest and egg, beating until creamy
- Add the flour mixture and vanilla, beating until smooth; stir in the white chocolate chips; portion into equal balls of dough
- Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and cool completely
- To make the frosting, beat the softened butter until soft and fluffy, then mix in the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and food coloring if using.
- Increase speed and beat about 5 minutes until light and fluffy; add a little more lemon juice if the frosting is too stiff
- Frost the cooled cookies and enjoy!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; with no extra cost to you):
- Zester/grater
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Reamer
- Stand mixer
- Spring-loaded cookie scoop
- Offset spatula
Gluten-Free Tips:
A simple swap – leave out the all-purpose wheat flour and replace it with a gluten-free flour blend, no extra gums required!
Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Lemon Buttercream Frosting (Gluten-Free)
Soft and chewy with luscious lemon frosting, these Lemon White Chocolate Sugar Cookies are the perfect sweet ending to a meal or after-school snack. But watch out, it is hard to stop at just one!
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 2-1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 226 g) butter, softened
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1-1/2 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup mini white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 220 g) lightly salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (450 g) sifted powdered sugar
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- Yellow food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Make the Cookie Dough: Beat together the butter with the granulated sugar on medium speed just until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and egg and mix until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and vanilla, beating until smooth and creamy. Mix in the white chocolate chips.
- Bake Cookies: Portion the cookie dough with a tablespoon sized spring-loaded ice cream scoop. Place dough balls onto the baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Lightly press each cookie down with the wet bottom of a glass. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and leave until fully cooled.
- Make the Frosting: Place the softened butter in the bowl of your stand mixer, and beat until soft and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar, mixing until combined. Add the lemon juice, zest, and food coloring if using.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. If the frosting is too thick for easy spreading, add 1 tsp lemon juice or more as needed, and beat until soft and you get the consistency you are looking for.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies with an offset spatula. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Cookies adapted from Robyn Stone of Add a Pinch
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
60Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 50mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g
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This post was first shared in Feb 2018. The article was updated in 2020.
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Nancy Buchanan
These cookies so have my name on them – white chocolate and lemon – yum! And for the record, I LIKE the flecks of vanilla!!!
Jane Bonacci
I love the flecks of vanilla too Nancy. We should make a batch together and share them with our stories and laughter!