Italian Lemon Cookies are packed with citrus sunshine. Their crunchy sugar exterior gives way to a soft, cake-like interior!
Why you’ll love this recipe
This is a lovely soft, pillow-y, cakey cookie. The sugar coating adds eye appeal and a delicious crunch.
Sometimes called Anginetti Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, or Italian Lemon Knot Cookies these fluffy cookies are traditionally topped with a simple lemon glaze. For a treat that is safe to send in care packages any time of year, even during hot weather, this version of the Italian lemon drop cookie is instead coated in sparkling yellow sugar.
Cookies made with shortening tend to stay soft longer and these are no exception. The ingredients for this Italian treat are ideal for adding to hot weather care packages.
Ingredients
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a small bowl, microwave vegetable shortening until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat melted vegetable shortening and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs, water, and lemon extract or lemon juice and zest. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add the flour mixture until just combined. Overmixing will produce a less tender cookie.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Roll the ball in yellow sugar. Place coated dough balls 1” apart on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Tops of cookies will not darken. Bottoms of cookies will have just begun to turn golden brown.
Storage
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these lemon cookies (using lemon extract) stay fresh for at least 2 weeks. If using fresh lemon juice and zest, the storage time may be less, but the cookies will definitely stay fresh for at least 1 week.
Tips
- Softened butter can be substituted for the shortening in this recipe, but produces a slightly denser crumb.
- Lemon extract is recommended for hot weather care packages, however, for other uses the zest and juice of ½ lemon can be used instead.
- To make a traditional Italian glaze for these cookies, mix one cup of powdered sugar with the juice of ½ lemon. Dip the cookies into the glaze or drizzle the glaze on top.
- To make your own yellow sugar, add white large crystal sugar and a few drops of yellow food coloring gel to a ziplock bag. Mush the bag until the sugar is evenly colored. Open the bag an allow the sugar to dry before using.
Frequently asked questions
The Italian for angel-like refers to the texture of these cookies that’s “light as an angel”.
Italian lemon cookies can be frozen in an airtight container, in layers separated by wax paper, for up to 3 months.
More lemon cookies
Crunchy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are a tender lemon cookie perfectly paired with crunchy poppy seeds.
Lemon Lime Butter Cookie Rosettes are beautiful citrus cookies piped into roses.
Sugar Cookie Lemon Slices look just like real lemon slices using icing and simple decorating.
Shrewsbury Biscuits are an English tea time treat!
Lemon Biscotti are ideal served with either a hot mug of tea or a glass of iced tea.
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Italian Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening Crisco
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract or juice and zest of ½ lemon
- ½ cup yellow large crystal decorating sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, microwave vegetable shortening until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat melted vegetable shortening and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs , water, and lemon extract or lemon juice and zest.
- Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will produce a less tender cookie.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll into a ball. Roll the ball in yellow sugar.
- Place coated dough balls 1” apart on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Tops of cookies will not darken. Bottoms of cookies will have just begun to turn golden brown.
- Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- These cookies are soft and cake-like. They will remain soft for at least 2 weeks if stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
- Softened butter can be substituted in this recipe, but produced a slightly denser crumb.
- Lemon extract is recommended for hot weather care packages, however, for other uses the zest and juice of ½ lemon can be used instead.
- To make a traditional Italian glaze for these cookies, mix one cup of powdered sugar with the juice of ½ lemon. Dip the cookies into the glaze or drizzle the glaze on top.
- To make your own yellow sugar, add white large crystal sugar and a few drops of yellow food coloring gel to a ziplock bag. Mush the bag until the sugar is evenly colored. Open the bag an allow the sugar to dry before using.
Nutrition
First published: July 19, 2013. Last Updated: April 30, 2022. Updated for additional information, improved photographs and better reader experience.
Kim~madeinaday
Love all things lemon! Thanks for the recipe! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
Kim
Saltandserenity
One of my favourite summer drinks is lemonade, tons of fresh mint, (and ok, maybe a splash of vodka) with lots of ice. The whole lot gets buzzed in the blender.
For some reason , it never occurred to me to combine lemon and mint in a cookie. I am sure they are delicious.
edye
These look amazing! Could I use butter in place of the shortening? Thanks 🙂
Blessings,
Edye | http://gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com
The Monday Box
Thanks, Edye! Butter and Crisco produce different textures in baked goods. Using one or the other can also effect spreading of the dough, making a flatter cookie when butter is used. Butter has a lower melting point. So, though I haven’t tried using butter in this recipe, I think you could, but the results would probably be quite different.