PINK LEMONADE COOKIES

Nellie — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 20:52:29 +0000

Pink Lemonade Cookies are soft, chewy cookies made with butter, sugar, lemon extract, and just a touch of pink food coloring for a fun twist. Topped with a creamy lemon frosting, these cookies are bursting with bright citrus flavor and make the perfect dessert for spring and summer gatherings.

Recipe Highlights

Beautiful and fun to make: Their soft pink color and swirled frosting make them as pretty as they are tasty—ideal for parties, gifting, or a cheerful afternoon treat.
Bright, bold lemon flavor: Thanks to a generous dose of lemon extract and fresh lemon juice, these cookies taste just like pink lemonade in cookie form—tangy, sweet, and refreshingly citrusy.
Perfectly soft and chewy: With the ideal balance of crisp edges and tender centers, these cookies have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s completely irresistible.

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.

TIPS FOR MAKING PINK LEMONADE COOKIES

Use softened, not melted, butter: Softened butter is key to creating the light, airy texture in the dough. Melting it can cause the cookies to spread too much while baking and become greasy or flat.
Mix just until combined: Overmixing once the flour is added can result in tough, dense cookies. Stir only until you no longer see streaks of flour for a soft, tender bite.
Use a cookie scoop: This ensures each cookie is the same size, which promotes even baking. Uniform cookies also make for a neater presentation when frosted.
Cool completely before frosting: If the cookies are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and slide off. Allowing them to cool fully gives you a smooth, stable surface to work with.
Line your baking sheets: Using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat not only prevents sticking, but also helps the cookies bake evenly and keeps cleanup quick and easy. for easy cleanup and perfect cookie bottoms.

How to Store These Cookies

Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Frosting can be made ahead and stored separately in the fridge.

PINK LEMONADE COOKIE RECIPE

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.

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword Pink Lemonade Cookies

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 9

Servings cookies

Calories 223kcal

Author Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

Cookies:

½ C butter softened
¾ C sugar
1 egg
1 T lemon extract
1 ½ C flour
¾ t baking soda
pink food coloring

Frosting:

½ C unsalted butter softened
3 C powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp heavy cream
pink food coloring

Instructions

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 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.

Nutrition

FAQs

Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract?
Lemon extract has a more concentrated flavor than lemon juice, which gives these cookies their bold lemonade taste. You can use lemon juice in a pinch, but the flavor will be milder.

Do I have to use pink food coloring?
Nope! The coloring is just for fun. The cookies will still taste like pink lemonade even if they’re not pink.

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cookies and store them (unfrosted) in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Make the frosting fresh when you’re ready to serve or decorate.

What’s the best way to get perfectly piped frosting?
Make sure your cookies are fully cooled, and use a large star tip in a piping bag. Start piping in the center of each cookie and spiral outward for a classic swirl.

MORE DELICIOUS LEMON COOKIE RECIPES:

Pink lemonade is fantastic, but regular lemonade is wonderful in cookie recipes as well! Easy Lemonade Cookies and Frosted Lemonade Cookies are both wonderful choices.
There are so many fruits that pair well with lemon. Lemon Raspberry Cookies and Lemon Blueberry Cookies are delicious!
Easy cookies are our favorite! Lemon Cake Mix Cookies and Lemon No-Bake Cookies are both quick and easy cookie recipes.