These easy lemon snowball cookies are one of the best lemon cookies you’ll make this season. They are made with simple ingredients that you might already have at home. They are crunchy with a delicious melt-in-your-mouth aspect and pack a punch of lemon flavor with each bite.
Since you are here, take a look at these chewy chocolate chip cookies, this snowball Christmas cookie recipe, these walnut chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies, and these lemon crinkle cookies with cake mix.
This post is sponsored by my friends over at Imperial Sugar. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Lifestyle of a foodie possible.
There is something so special about a buttery lemon cookie that just hits the spot every time.
These cookies are similar to lemon drops except that they are roller in powdered sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. That makes them look like little snowballs and turns them into the perfect tea cakes!
This is the best lemon snowball cookie recipe ever.
Besides the face that they are super easy to make, they are also really tasty and bright thanks to all the different types of lemon. They are great for any spring and summer baking, or even for your holiday cookies come christmas time for our cookie swap boxes.
Why you need to make this recipe!
- They have a tangy and refreshing lemon flavor that’s perfect for the summer season.
- These cookies have a tangy and refreshing lemon flavor that’s perfect for the summer season.
- They’re easy to make and don’t require any fancy ingredients or equipment.
- They’re a unique twist on the classic snowball cookie, adding a bit of excitement to your baking routine.
- These cookies are perfect for sharing with friends and family at a summer gathering or picnic.
- They have a beautiful powdered sugar coating that makes them look like little snowballs, adding to their charm.
- You can store them in an airtight container for several days, so you can enjoy them for a while.
Ingredients for this lemon drop cookie recipe
Here are the ingredients you will need to make these tasty cookies. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed ingredient measurements.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter in this recipe but feel free to use salted butter as well just make sure that it is softened.
- Imperial Sugar powdered sugar – or confectioners’ sugar will be used to both sweeten the cookies and for rolling as well.
- Fresh lemon juice & lemon zest – This will add a nice brightness to the cookies.
- Lemon extract– This will allow you to get even more of that delicious lemon flavor to come through in our cookies.
- Vanilla extract- Even though we are using lemon extract we will be adding a little vanilla to brighten our cookies even more.
- all-purpose flour
- Salt- Always add a little salt to your baked goods to balance out the sweetness.
- Yellow gel food coloring- This is optional but you can definitely add some to the cookie dough to give it a nice yellow hue. That way once people bite into them they’ll see a beautiful lemon inside and will be reminded of lemons automatically.
Why Imperial Sugar?
Using the Imperial Sugar brand for the powdered sugar in these cookies ensures high-quality bakes that will taste amazing and look absolutely stunning too!
How to make these lemon snowballs?
This is how you can make lemon snowball cookies. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions!
- Cream butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
- Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and lemon extract.
- Add in the flour and salt and mix just until the flour mixture disappears and cookie dough forms.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough balls, roll them in between the palm of your hand and place on a parchment paper lined ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven.
- Dip the warm cookies in the powdered sugar and set on a wire rack to cool.
- For best results let the cookies cool down and then dip them in the powdered sugar again to really make each buttery cookie look like snowballs and serve.
You can make this recipe with an electric mixer, a stand mixer, or even by hand.
Frequently asked questions – FAQ
HOW TO STORE Lemon SNOWBALL COOKIES?
These can be stored in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to a week.
CAN I FREEZE THESE lemon SNOWBALL COOKIES?
You can freeze these cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 1 month. Make sure to pull them out of the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a few hours.
You might have to redcoat them in powdered sugar. so they look like snowballs again.
Irresistible melt-in-your mouth lemon snowball cookies recipe
The best lemon snowball cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- ⅔ cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 & ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- yellow gel food coloring optional
- ¾ cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add in the vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice, add in a tiny bit of yellow food coloring now if you are using it, and mix again. Add in the flour and salt and mix on low speed until dough forms.1 cup butter, ⅔ cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 & ¼ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, yellow gel food coloring
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out 20 cookie dough scoops and roll into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar, then place on a cooling rack and let them cool down. Once cooled down, roll them in the powdered sugar again to give them that flawless snowball look.¾ cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar
Nutrition
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Angel
Can you make this without lemon extract? I dont use that. I have a ton of lemons I need to use up before they go bad. Thanks
Chahinez
Hi! Unfortunately, I wouldn’t use real lemons juice for this recipe because you risk adding too much moisture to the cookies and ruining their crumbly texture. Extract is preferred because you can get potent flavor in just a couple drops rather than a whole tablespoon.
Jennifer M
These were absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making them again. Also, I felt like the lemon flavor got stronger after they cooled completely and rested overnight.
Chahinez
That’s awesome and thank you for letting me know!