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Named after a favorite candy confection, these little Lemon Drop Tea Cookies make a wonderful teatime treat. Melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness, with the perfect amount of lemony sweetness.
Buttery shortbread cookies are a staple of tea party foods, whether thinly sliced, rolled, or pressed. They just go well with a hot cup of tea. Very well. Lemon does, too. And not only in the summer months, because lemon tastes delightful all year long! Which makes these tea cookies extra delicious and enjoyable.
I have fond memories of my great-grandma. She lived alone in a small trailer home in Moran, Kansas. Whenever mom and I went to visit, Great-Grandma would invite me into her kitchen where she spread butter on vanilla wafers for me to eat with a glass of milk at her small table. She said butter made everything better, and she was right about that!
There were also pretty glass candy dishes in her living room. Filled with root beer hard candies and lemon drops. My brothers and I had to have at least one while we were there. When I came upon this recipe for lemon cookies, I immediately thought of Great-Grandma and had to name them Lemon Drops. I think she may have enjoyed eating them. I know we do.
This is a great recipe to make with children. Invite them to help you measure out the ingredients, and then when it’s time to make the cookies, have them help form the balls. They will also enjoy dipping the baked cookies into the lemon glaze.
Teach kids to bake when they are young and it will stay with them for their lifetime!
More Lemon Tea Recipes to Enjoy
Ingredients for Lemon Drop Tea Cookies
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch
- salt
- butter, room temperature
- powdered sugar
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
Glaze
- powdered sugar
- lemon juice
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a fine-edge grater, zest the lemon. Then slice two lemons and squeeze the juice from them, using a citrus juicer.
You will need 5-6 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Make the Cookie Dough
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk them together and set aside.
Using a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar. Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix until blended.
Gradually add the flour ingredients to the creamed butter, mixing well between additions to incorporate. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
Chilling the dough will help the cookies hold their shape when they are baking.
Prepare and Bake the Cookies
Once the dough has chilled, form balls of dough with a large scoop or tablespoon. I used a purple 3/4 oz. scoop #40 to make these cookies. If needed, roll the dough in the palms of your hands to form a ball. Place balls on the prepared baking sheet, about 2″ apart.
You should be able to fit all of the cookies on one sheet.
If desired, slightly press the tops of each ball to flatten. Or if you’d prefer a snowball look, go ahead and leave them round.
Bake in preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, until lightly golden on the edges. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Lemon Glaze
To prepare the glaze, place powdered sugar in a small bowl and mix in 2-3 tablespoons of prepared lemon juice. Whisk together until the glaze is slightly runny.
Place the used cookie sheet beneath the wire rack for this glazing step, to reduce messy cleanup.
Dip the cooled lemon balls in the glaze, then place them back on the wire rack to set up fully.
Once they’ve set up, you may store them in a covered container or plastic freezer bag. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to a month.
If cookies have been frozen, they will need to return to room temperature with extra time allotted for the icing to set up firmly.
This recipe will make approximately 25-30 cookies. Serve on a pretty serving dish at your next tea party, or for an afternoon snack.
See more Tea Party Foods Here. View Cookie Recipes Here. Browse more Lemon Recipes Here.
Lemon Drop Tea Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Using a fine-edge grater, zest the lemon. Then slice two lemons and squeeze the juice from them, using a citrus juicer. (You will need 5-6 tablespoons of lemon juice.)
Make the Cookie Dough
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk them together and set aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar. Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix until blended.
- Gradually add the flour ingredients to the creamed butter, mixing well between additions to incorporate. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. (Chilling the dough will help the cookies hold their shape when they are baking.)
Prepare and Bake the Cookies
- Once the dough has chilled, form balls of dough with a large scoop or tablespoon. (I used a purple 3/4 oz. scoop #40 to make these cookies.) If needed, roll the dough in the palms of your hands to form a ball.
- Place balls on the prepared baking sheet, about 2″ apart. (You should be able to fit all of the cookies on one sheet.)
- If desired, slightly press the tops of each ball to flatten. Or if you’d prefer a snowball look, go ahead and leave them round.
- Bake in preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, until lightly golden on the edges. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Lemon Glaze
- Place powdered sugar in a small bowl and mix in 2-3 tablespoons of prepared lemon juice. Whisk together until the glaze is slightly runny.
- Place the used cookie sheet beneath the wire rack for this glazing step, to reduce messy cleanup.
- Dip the cooled lemon balls in the glaze, then place them back on the wire rack until set up fully.
- Once they’ve set up, you may store the cookies in a covered container or plastic freezer bag. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to a month.
- If cookies have been frozen, they will need to return to room temperature with extra time allotted for the icing to set up firmly.
- This recipe will make approximately 25-30 cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
