Easy Butter Lemon Tea Cookies
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Butter Lemon Tea Cookies, a delightfully simple, sweet and soft wafer-like cookie with a decidedly beautiful lemon flavor. All you need is a cup of tea and your afternoon just became a bit brighter.
Perhaps add Victoria or Tea Time Magazine with that cup of tea and take a mini-vacation.
These simple-to-make cookies often find themselves on my baking schedule, especially in the spring. But honestly, they also show up throughout the year. They are just that good!
Lemon Tea Cookies
Traditionally, these flat, round cookies have been served with tea for generations. They always seem to be the perfect end to a lovely afternoon tea.
For me, tea cookies need to be a bit soft, with a distinctive flavor, that pairs well with a final cup of tea.
These Butter Lemon Tea cookies is my favorite, hands down. Lemony without overpowering the tea.
Which Tea to Serve with Lemon Tea Cookies?
Earl Gray is a perfect choice. With its almost floral bouquet, Earl Gray pairs well with slices of lemon, or, yes, a lemony dessert. Enter… these lemon tea cookies.
If you’re not an Earl Gray fan, green teas, Jasmine, Chamomile, and Lemon Ginger tea are delicious too.
To Ice or Not to Ice?
And, of course, you must respond with… “that is the question.” Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.
I love these cookies enough that I’m fine without icing them.
However, something special happens when these cookies are glazed with a simple, easy lemon icing. Sprinkling with additional lemon zest brings it to fantastic.
A Final Note
These cookies aren’t just perfect for tea.
As some of you know, I have a large, strapping college athlete son. He loves cookies. In fact, he may even be a connaisseur… of cookies. While these treats may seem delicate, I can assure you that in the hands of this 6’9″ kid, they are anything but… delicate.
While chocolate chip cookies will always be his favorite, these might be #2!
Enjoy! Whether that be with a cup of tea — or not!
Butter Lemon Tea Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for dusting cookies
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice divided
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Continue to beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Then add the eggs, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly until combined.
- Slowly add the flour, baking soda, and salt; mix until no dry threads of flour remain. But don't over mix.
- Using a small cookie scoop (affiliate link), roll dollops of cookie dough in granulated sugar, and then place on the prepared baking pan. The cookies will spread so space them at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden and the centers of the cookies are set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. After cooled, spread lemon icing if you wish, topped with freshly grated lemon zest.
- Depending on the size of your scoop, you should be able to make about 30 tea cookies.
Notes
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- water as needed to create a spreadable consistency
- fresh lemon zest
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Measurements would be great as American cups differ to Australian and have no idea what a stick of butter is ( Will Google), as I would like to try these and many of your recipes .
Hi Kate, thank you for the question! I will definitely try to include weight measurements going forward. As you know after Googling, 1 cup butter (in American measurements) is 227 grams. I also know our cup measurements are slightly different from Australian cup measurements. I would love to hear how they turn out for you and again, thank you for your suggestion!
Measurements would be great as American cups differ to Australian and have no idea what a stick of butter is ( Will Google), as I would like to try these and many of your recipes .
Just made these and they are sooooo good! I love lemon and these are the perfect buttery lemony cookies😍
Yay! Thank you so much for trying the cookies. I’m with you– a lemon lover.
I’m with you! I love buttery lemony cookies. Thank you for trying them!
Probably wonderful. Could stevia be used? I cannot eat sugar.
Hi Judy! I’ve not tested these with stevia. I know it’s harder to do with cookies – here is a good article on how to swap stevia for sugar in baked goodies.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/283456-how-to-bake-with-stevia-instead-of-sugar/
Can’t wait to make these , sounds great with my evening tea thx for the prayers I also pray daily for every one in this time, as the Bible says in dew time this shall pass , and stay healthy and be safe if you have to go out. I walk every day well when the weather is good. And it’s been beautiful finally,snow in the forecast tonight and tomorrow but hopefully not. Have a blessed day. Cindy from Colorado.
Hi Cindy! I love that saying from the Bible. I think of it often these days! And look forward to the “passing” phase :). As much as I LOVE snow, I hope you didn’t get any. Somehow, during all of this, I’m wishing sunshine for everyone. Good for the soul! Take care — and stay healthy. Thanks for your note, it brightens my day :)!
Can u use self rising flour
Hi Cindy, I’ve not tested this recipe using self-rising flour, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!