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Sourdough Lemon Cookies

These soft and buttery sourdough lemon cookies are made with sourdough discard, fresh lemon zest, and a generous coating of powdered sugar that creates beautiful crackled tops as they bake. Lightly sweet with bright citrus flavor, they're the perfect way to use extra sourdough starter while creating a cozy homemade dessert for spring, summer, or the holidays.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: crackle lemon cookies, homemade lemon cookies, lemon cookies with sourdough discard, lemon sourdough cookies, soft lemon cookies, sourdough discard cookie recipe, sourdough discard lemon cookies, sourdough discard recipes, sourdough lemon cookies, spring cookie recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 135kcal
Pin Recipe
Author: Victoria Herbert

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • medium mixing bowl
  • Electric mixer or stand mixer
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Microplane or zester
  • Citrus juicer
  • Cookie scoop (1½ tablespoons)
  • baking sheets
  • parchment paper
  • Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup sourdough discard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest about 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the egg.
  • Mix in the sourdough discard, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Combine the Dry Ingredients

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Chill the Dough

  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Prepare for Baking

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the Cookies

  • Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie.
  • Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar until completely coated.

Bake

  • Place cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the tops have developed beautiful cracks.
  • The centers should still be soft.

Cool

  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Fresh lemon zest provides the brightest flavor.
Chilling the dough helps create thicker cookies with beautiful crackled tops.
Roll generously in powdered sugar for the classic bakery-style appearance.
Do not overbake. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 75mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 12g
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