Are you ready for this simple recipe for Italian Lemon Cookies? These twist cookies have a cake-like texture, glazed with the perfect burst of lemon flavor.
You are probably wondering -and rightly so- why another lemon cookie recipe.
Well, for starters, I love twist cookies. In fact, another one of my favorites is this Koulourakia recipe.
The simple fact is that lemon cookies are one of my favorites (besides biscotti, of course 😉 )
My guess is that I am probably not alone.
Have you ever noticed how lemon cookies are always one of the first cookies to disappear from any cookie platter? Do you know anyone that can resist a lemon cookie?
Today, I am sharing another lemon cookie recipe because I think you are going to find they taste exceptional.
As an added bonus, you will love how easy they are to make… are you ready to begin?
How to make Italian Lemon Cookies:
It all starts with sifting flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl. We will set it aside for a couple of minutes.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until slightly thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
Slowly add the sugar and continue to whisk until well combined. Add the oil, vanilla extract, juice and zest of lemon. Combine well.
At this point we are going to switch to the paddle attachment and slowly add the flour mixture until well combined.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350℉; position rack to the middle; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and get ready to roll!
Scoop dough with a medium-sized cookie scoop and drop on a lightly floured surface.
Roll into a 6-inch strand about ½ inch in diameter.
Line up the two ends and twist once or twice (refer to photo above).
Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat until all the dough has been shaped.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned.
Once the cookies have cooled down, they can be glazed and ready to be enjoyed. This simple lemon cookie can also be frozen without the glaze. This is a great cookie to have on hand when friends or family 😉 come over unexpectedly… just thaw, glaze and serve.
Recipe origins
My mom (along with my Zia Maria) made the best homemade Italian cookies.
I can still remember the long animated conversations my mom would have with her older sister. If my memory serves me right, cookie recipes would often be discussed. As a result, the freezer was always well stocked with cookies and biscotti. My mom’s philosophy was simple… be ready because you never know when someone would drop in for coffee. Thinking back to those years, it’s no wonder I developed a biscotti obsession 😉
Another Simple Italian Lemon Cookie Recipe is the result of a recipe shared among two sisters. Today, my goal was to document this recipe. If you love lemon cookies, this recipe for Italian Lemon Knot Cookies is another family favorite.
Can a girl have enough lemon cookie recipes?
Apparently not!
Enjoy!!!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Lemon Cookie recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Italian Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- zest of 2 lemons
lemon glaze
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until slightly thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add sugar. Continue to whisk until well combined.
- Add the oil, vanilla extract, juice and zest of lemon. Combine well.
- Switch to paddle attachment.
- Slowly add the flour mixture until well combined.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Position rack to middle.
- Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough with medium sized cookie scoop and drop on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll into a 6 inch strand about ½ inch in diameter.
- Line up the two ends and twist once or twice (refer to visual in the text).
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
- Repeat until all the dough has been shaped.
- Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
- Whisk together icing sugar and lemon juice.
- Glaze cookies and allow to dry before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Maria
I love to bake! I made them & loved them! And I shared them with my neighbors too! Excellent!🎖
Maria
How wonderful Maria! Thanks so much for leaving a comment, appreciate it!
Rosemary
Hi Maria, I just made a batch of these yummy lemon cookies today. I have to freeze them before I eat them all. They are so good! This recipe is a keeper. Ciao!
Rosemary
London, ON
Maria
Fantastic Rosemary! Thanks for sharing!
Becky
Hello. I made these today and I’m not sure if I did something wrong or not. The dough is so extremely sticky I could not roll them into twists. I was barely able to even roll them into balls because the dough was sticking to my hand so bad. I even had flour on my surface and my hands.
Maria
Hi Becky, go ahead and more flour, a few tablespoons at a time, until you can manage it.
Luann worstell
I’m having troubles….. I can not get the dough to roll it is too flimsy.
Should I add more four?!?
Maria
Yes, add a couple more tablespoons of flour.
Maria
I made your lemon cookie recipe the other day during our quarantine! These are the best cookies ever coming from a baker! I shared some with my neighbors & they also said “amazing”! I’m making them again today 😊
Thanks for sharing!
Maria
Maria
My pleasure Maria. Thrilled to read this, thanks!
Annette
Maria,
I was searching for a recipe for lemon cookies to make in honor of my mom, Grace’s 90 th birthday. She’s famous for her lemon cookies which she always made for family birthdays and special occasions. Everyone loved them. I am so happy to have found your website and am sharing it with friends and family bakers like me!
Maria
How wonderful Annette! Happy Birthday to your mom ♥ Thanks so much for sharing!
Nina
I made these cookies, they were delicious, thanks for recipe .
Maria
My pleasure Nina!
Diana
Can’t ever see enough of your recipes. I love them all. Im so excited to start baking. My house will smell like lemons
Maria
Thanks so much for your support Diane! Appreciate it!
Toni
Great cookie
The dough was just like my mother’s.
The only thing I would do, is to add more lemon zest. I felt it was missing that zing of lemon in the cookie.
Maria
Thanks Toni, great comment. I have started making and using lemon sugar in some of my baking. I must try it in this recipe the next time I make these lemon cookies. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it.
Rosemary
Can you put the glaze on these and store in an air tight container until using them?
Maria
These cookies are best within 24 hours of making them and stored in airtight containers. What I usually do is freeze them without the icing and then ice the day before I need them. Thanks for stopping by Rosemary.
Msureen
The comment about using half lemon cake mix—do you omit flour completely? I’ll be baking g knots and these twists this weekend. Can’t wait!!!
Maria
HI Maureen, fingers crossed you will get reply. Thanks for stopping by.