Pink Lemonade Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with lemon flavor. Topped with a simple lemon frosting, these pink lemonade cookies are pretty, refreshing, and delicious.

PINK LEMONADE COOKIES

Pink Lemonade Cookies taste just like lemonade! These simple cookies are made with lemon extract which gives these cookies a strong lemon flavor. Add butter, sugar, an egg, flour, baking soda, and pink food coloring – that’s it! A simple lemon cookie recipe that is easy to make!

INGREDIENTS IN PINK LEMONADE COOKIES

COOKIES

Butter – You will need 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) for this recipe. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before creaming with the sugar.

Sugar – You can’t make cookies without sugar! 3/4 cup of sugar will add the perfect amount of sweetness to the cookies.

Egg – One large egg will bind all of the other ingredients together.

Lemon extract – Make sure to use lemon extract instead of lemon juice. The flavor is much stronger.

Flour – All-purpose flour works best in these cookies.

Baking soda – This acts as the leavening agent in the cookies. For best results, make sure the baking soda isn’t old or expired.

FROSTING

Butter – Soften one stick (1/2 cup) of butter to make the frosting.

Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar adds sweetness to the frosting while making it perfectly smooth and creamy as well.

Lemon juice – You can use freshly squeezed lemon juice or the kind in the bottle – they both work well!

Heavy cream – The cream will make the frosting rich and creamy.

HOW TO MAKE PINK LEMONADE COOKIES

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.

MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream for about 2-3 minutes.

Add eggs, pink food coloring, and lemon extract to cookie dough.

Add in the egg, lemon extract, and food coloring. Mix for 2-3 minutes. Add in more food coloring if needed to get a deep pink color.

Add in the flour and baking soda. Mix just until combined.

Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, measure out the dough and roll it into a ball. Press between the palms to flatten into a disc about half of an inch thick. Place the cookie dough disks on your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough. Leave about two inches between each disc.

Bake in the preheated oven for 9-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is no longer glossy. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

MAKE THE FROSTING

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and heavy cream. Mix on low speed until combined.

Bump up the speed to medium and mix until smooth and fluffy – stopping the machine to scrape down the sides and mix again until cohesive.

Add in the pink food coloring until the desired shade is achieved. Start with just a little bit and add more if needed.

FROST THE COOKIES

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Once the cookies are cool, pipe a round swirl of frosting on each cookie. Start in the center and gently squeeze the piping bag as you work your way around in a spiral motion. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

MAKING THE PERFECT LEMONADE COOKIES

When it comes to making Pink Lemonade Cookies, there are a few tips and tricks that can help ensure success. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Make sure you use softened butter: DON’T melt it! One of the most common errors in cookie making is using butter that is either really cold and hard, or using butter that is too warm and melted. If you have time, just leave butter out on the counter for about 1-2 hours before making your cookies. If you are like me and don’t plan your cookie cravings that far in advance, just place the butter in your microwave and soften in 5 second intervals, being very careful to pull it out before it melts. I actually like to use the defrost setting on my microwave to soften butter- I don’t know the technical reasons behind it, but it seems to soften the butter more evenly and takes a little bit longer so I’m less likely to start melting it!
Don’t overmix the dough: Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. Mix the wet ingredients together for at least 3-4 minutes, but once the flour is mixed in, only mix until just barely combined.
Adjust the sugar to your taste: This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of sugar, but you can adjust the amount to your taste. If you prefer sweeter cookies, you can add a little more sugar.
Use a cookie scoop: Using a cookie scoop will help ensure that your cookies are all the same size and bake evenly.
Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat: Lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat will shorten clean-up time and ensure that your cookies can be easily removed from the cookie sheet without any sticking.
Watch the baking time: These cookies only need to bake for 9-12 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t overbake.

How to store Pink Lemonade Cookies

Cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.

MORE DELICIOUS LEMON COOKIE RECIPES:

Pink Lemonade Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with lemon flavor. Topped with a simple lemon frosting, these pink lemonade cookies are pretty, refreshing, and delicious.

PINK LEMONADE COOKIES