• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
She Loves Biscotti
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Maria
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Italian Cookies » Italian Lemon Cookies: Do the Twist!

    Italian Lemon Cookies: Do the Twist!

    August 26, 2017 , Updated July 10, 2024 Maria 100 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard
    Jump to Recipe
    Another Simple Italian Lemon Cookies on a plate.

    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.

    A plate of lemon cookies.

    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.

    6 whole eggs in a bowl.
    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).

    Another Simple Italian Lemon Cookie Recipe

    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.

    Dough for lemon cookies.

    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!

    The shaping of a lemon cookie form the scoop of cookie dough, to the rolling ina log, to the formation of a U and finally twisting into shape.
    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.

    3 glazed lemon cookies on a cookie rack.

    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.

    Overhead view of plate of lemon cookies.

    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

    A plate of lemon cookies.

    Italian Lemon Cookies

    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.

    5 from 29 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: cookies
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 48 cookies
    Calories: 76kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter you email below and I'll send the link to your inbox.
    PLUS, be the first to get newly published recipes!

    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.
    Enhance Your Cooking Experience!SCROLL UP for essential step-by-step photos embedded in the article above. When available, videos can be found in the next section. These visuals are designed to help you achieve perfect results every time. Happy cooking!

    Notes

    Unglazed cookies can be kept frozen for up to 3 months.
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 44mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.6mg
    SIGN UP for Email updates!YES! Send me FREE RECIPES!

     

     

     

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter you email below and I'll send the link to your inbox.
    PLUS, be the first to get newly published recipes!

    • Facebook
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard

    Filed Under: Baked Goods, Christmas, Cookies, Italian Cookies

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a retired dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MaryLu

      April 09, 2021 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is the best one yet!! The instructions were excellent! The cookies were moist. No need to add anymore flour then you mentioned and next time I make them I will grate lemon and orange, and do the same with the glaze! Keep sharing your excellent recipes❤️❤️

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 13, 2021 at 8:15 pm

        Thank you kindly MaryLu! So thrilled to read this!

        Reply
    2. Laury

      March 29, 2021 at 6:02 pm

      Hi Maria. Can lemon flavored olive oil or avocado oil be substituted for the vegetable oil? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 29, 2021 at 8:23 pm

        Thanks so much for your interest Laury. Yes, both substitutions work well with this recipe. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Lorraine

      March 20, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      Delicious! Love this recipe. I do add more lemon zest. Thank you !

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 29, 2021 at 8:49 pm

        Hi Lorraine! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing… truly appreciate it!

        Reply
    4. Maria Ponzo

      March 20, 2021 at 4:41 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Maria tried your recipe cookies came out perfect. Thank you for sharing .

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 29, 2021 at 8:50 pm

        My pleasure Maria! Thank you for taking the time to share!

        Reply
    5. Maxim K

      February 21, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      Maria,
      This recipe is tops. I love baking it. My personal taste is to double the lemon, though I could hardly be happier that I have come across your recipe. Many thanks for sharing it.
      Truly,
      Maxim

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 07, 2021 at 8:28 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing Maxim!

        Reply
    6. Leanda

      November 27, 2020 at 6:42 am

      5 stars
      I have made these before based on your recipe, absolutely delightful! Is there a way to make them gluten free?

      Reply
      • Maria

        November 27, 2020 at 7:41 am

        Thank you so much Leanda. Although I have not tried, a good friend of mine who needs to be gluten-free once told me that if there are eggs in a recipe, you can replace the flour with a one-for-one gluten-free flour. I would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try this substitution.

        Reply
    7. Jamie Sadler

      November 07, 2020 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      I like a bit more citrus punch so I substituted Fiori di Sicilia for the vanilla and did add a bit more flour. Over all absolutely delicious.

      Reply
      • Maria

        November 19, 2020 at 10:12 pm

        Thanks so much for taking the time to share Jamie, appreciate it!

        Reply
    8. Phillipa De Valence

      October 23, 2020 at 12:10 am

      Hello Maria, we certainly have a lot in common as my Sicily background was them same!! When I saw your recipe I just had to try it and compare! They have turned out beautifully! Thankyou for sharing your recipes! I am also going to try your Christmas biscotti as well!
      Ciao from Phillipa in Australia

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 24, 2020 at 9:04 pm

        How wonderful Phillipa! Thanks so much for sharing.

        Reply
    9. Toni

      May 16, 2020 at 1:59 pm

      Amazing easy recipe a pleasure to make, thanks 💕

      Reply
    10. Toni

      May 16, 2020 at 1:58 pm

      5 stars
      This was the easiest lemon cookie recipe, if you bake you would know that sometimes you might have to add some extra flour , so put it aside. They turned out amazing . Thank you for this lovely soft tasty. Lemon twist cookies. 💕

      Reply
      • Maria

        May 16, 2020 at 2:01 pm

        Thanks so much Toni!

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Maria from She loves biscotti

    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian (retired) and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

    More about me →

    Subscribe and Follow

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    STRAWBERRY RECIPES

    • Strawberries and ricotta in a dessert glass.
      Easy Strawberry Ricotta Dessert
    • Baked strawberries in a baking dish.
      Roasted Strawberries: From Ordinary to Amazing!
    • Lemons and fresh strawberries surround a white dish of macerated berries.
      Macerated Strawberries: A Simple Recipe
    • A close up of icy cold frozen strawberry halves set on ice.
      How to Freeze Strawberries: 6 Easy Steps!
    Banner of sites featuring She Loves Biscotti including Buzzfeed, Huffpost, etc.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 She Loves Biscotti INC

    Copyright © 2025

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Read more