Lemon Star cookies are a Chanukah tradition in my family, even though there is nothing traditional about them. Neither cut-out cookies nor lemon have anything to do with Chanukah. They are a tradition for us simply because after I baked these tender, sweet-sour Lemon Stars for the first time many years ago, they have been requested every year since.
I found the original recipe for Lemon Stars in a 1985 Redbook magazine. There obviously was no internet back then, and magazines were a common source of my newlywed culinary adventures. Some of those recipe adventures, such as these cookies, were successes worth repeating. Some were best forgotten. I still have several recipe albums and a box or two filled with yellowing recipes lovingly clipped from magazines and newspapers. The recipes in the albums have been enjoyed many times. The recipes in the boxes I still hope to get to “someday”.
Though I started making Lemon Stars before my kids were born, annually creating these cookies became more of a tradition, and certainly more of a happy mess, once my kids were involved. This is really a wonderful recipe to bake with children. The dough is smooth and easy to roll out, just like edible playdoh, and is forgiving of multiple roll outs when little hands don’t make the best use of space while cutting out shapes. Icing the cookies with random squiggles is a skill that even a toddler can master.
When my children were little, Lemon Stars were our home baked gift of choice for teachers and friends. Year after year we would roll out numerous batches and cover our kitchen table with dozens of cookie stars. The kids had the most fun icing themselves, and occasionally the cookies, with holiday colors.
Do not skip the icing on Lemon Stars. It is perfectly matched to the cookie. The dough is only mildly lemony and not very sweet. When tasted plain, these cookies are unimpressive. However, the tart yet sweet icing is a game changer. Both the tender texture and the flavor are even better after a day or two! Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, Lemon Stars stay delicious for at least 7 days.
In this season of chocolate-mint and gingerbread, lemon is an unexpected flavor. Variety is a good thing. Change up the icing colors and Lemon Stars will shine at any holiday celebration.
Lemon Stars
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Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- For icing:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Food coloring
- Decorating sugar
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add eggs, lemon juice and zest, until well combined.
- Gradually add flour mixture until just blended.
- Shape the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight until firm enough for rolling.
- When ready to roll out the dough: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Working with one half of the chilled dough at a time, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼” thickness.
- Cut shapes out of dough and place on the prepared baking sheet 1” apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges just begin to brown.
- Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely before icing.
- For the Icing:In a medium bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Divide the icing into small bowls, one for each color of icing desired. Stir in a few drops of food coloring.
- Spoon each color of icing into a ziplock sandwich-size bag. Snip off a tiny piece of a bottom corner to pipe the icing.
- To create the cookies pictured: Pipe one color onto each cookie in a random zigzag pattern, then allow the icing to set for about 30 minutes. Pipe the second color onto each cookie and sprinkle with matching decorating sugar.
- When all layers of icing have been applied, allow the icing to set for at least 2 hours or overnight, before storing or wrapping for shipping.
- Stored at room temperature in an airtight container, Lemon Stars will remain tender and delicious for at least 7 days.
Packing Tips
Karen says
These look great! I just found your site on Pinterest and have been looking at the recipes for over and hour!! Can these cookies be frozen? I need something that can be made in advance for an event.
The Monday Box says
Hi, Karen! I am so glad you found The Monday Box and are finding lots to look at. 🙂 The plain lemon stars can definitely be frozen, but most confectioners sugar icing seems to do better not frozen. I can’t say for sure because I have not tried to freeze these with the icing on. Could you make the cookies ahead (even a month ahead is fine) and drizzle the icing the night before the even? Or, you could make a tiny bit of icing for a trial run and drizzle one cookie to freeze for an experiment. Then if it works, drizzle the whole batch. Good luck!
Winnie says
These are such gorgeous cookies!! I adore all the coloring 🙂 I’d love to just grab them all and eat!!
themondaybox says
Thanks, Winnie! The sour-sweet of the lemon icing really makes these cookies special. So easy but wonderful. 🙂
dishofdailylife says
What gorgeous holiday cookies! I love anything lemon flavored. Thank you for sharing this sweet treat with us at Foodie Fridays…pinning! Hope to see you at the party again tonight!
themondaybox says
Thanks, Michelle! Lemon seems to be as popular as chocolate! Thank you for hosting Foodie Fridays!
Mama's Gotta Bake says
Hi Wendy, our Hannukah tradition is latkes with applesauce! The latkes are actually a lot of work. These cookies look delicious, so maybe we’ll start a new tradition at our house! I’ll let you know how they turn out!
themondaybox says
Oh, we do latkes AND lemon stars,Sheryl! 🙂 Usually, I only make potato latkes on the first night and freeze a bunch for other nights. I also like to try a new latke recipe each year using different (perhaps more low carb friendly?) veggies. It would be fun to eat cookies for dinner though! 🙂 If you try them, please let me know what you think. 🙂
enchantedhomeschoolingmom says
Yummy! Anything with lemon sounds delicious to me. Pinning and sharing 🙂
themondaybox says
Thanks, Jill! The cookies are only mildly lemon but when you add the icing….perfection! 🙂 Thank you for pinning and sharing!!
Martina says
Supercool! i will do it!
themondaybox says
I hope you love them, Martina!
Jack and Parker (@jackandparker) says
I love lemon anything.. I will be trying these for sure!
themondaybox says
I hope you enjoy the cookies! The lemony icing is THE best for lemon lovers. 🙂
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Wow – these look great. Your photos are outstanding! I could reach out and touch one … actually reach out and eat one! Love lemon, the a cut out cookie and love the decorations! I remember decorating cookies with my children during the holidays. Miss that so much and hope my grandson will enjoy it one day. Thanks!
captnmike says
Reblogged this on Mumbling Mike and commented:
Looks like a god holiday cookie, hope to try them soon
Paula K. says
Have you sent these cookies in a soldier care package, are they a good choice?
themondaybox says
I haven’t sent these in a military care package yet, but I think they would be a good choice for winter military care packages. I try not to send recipes with butter and fruit juice during hot weather. For lemon cookies during the summer, I send Sparkling Lemon Pillow Cookies https://themondaybox.com/2013/07/19/sparkling-lemon-pillow-cookies/ I plan to send these Lemon Stars within the next few months. Star shapes,with all those little points, are more fragile than the circles I usually send. I just suggest extra care in packaging.
Ilana says
Lemon is a favorite flavor in our house. These cookies seem like a wonderful Chanukah tradition. I’m going to bake these with my youngest daughter for Chanukah this year.
themondaybox says
I am so glad that you will be baking these with your daughter, Ilana! Whenever I make Lemon Stars, memories of baking with my children make me smile. I hope you have fun making some happy Chanukah baking memories!
Lisa Blumenkamp Hogbin says
I can testify to how wonderful these are! These cookies are among my sweetest memories of our Chanukah/Christmas celebrations! 🙂
themondaybox says
Lisa, you know I had the Hogbin clan in mind as I baked these! 🙂 Lemon Stars are somehow symbolic to me of all of those years of shared holidays! I wouldn’t be surprised if you and Daryl had cookies from the first batch I ever made of these! Happy Holidays, my dear friend!