Description
Lemon Cooler Cookies are delightful, tangy treats bursting with fresh lemon flavor and a sweet powdered sugar coating infused with lemonade powder. These soft, crumbly cookies are chilled before baking to achieve the perfect texture and finished with a double dip in a zesty powdered sugar mix for extra sweetness and a refreshing citrus zing.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Coating
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon lemonade Kool-Aid powder
Instructions
- Mix Sugar and Lemon Zest: Beat together the granulated white sugar and lemon zest with a hand or stand mixer in a large mixing bowl until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Cream Butter and Egg Yolk: Add the room temperature salted butter and beat together until well creamed. Mix in the egg yolk and continue beating until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Lemon Juice: Beat in the all-purpose flour and cornstarch on high speed until a crumbly dough forms. Pour in the lemon juice and beat on low speed until a firm dough develops.
- Form Cookie Balls: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and split it in half. Roll each half into a ball.
- Prepare Cookies for Chilling: Place each cookie ball on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Flatten each slightly with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup for an even shape.
- Chill Dough: Loosely cover the shaped cookies with plastic wrap and place the baking sheets in the refrigerator to chill for 30 to 60 minutes or until firm throughout.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray them with baking spray.
- Remove Cookies from Fridge: Take one baking sheet of cookies from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap before baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the edges start to brown slightly, signalling they are ready.
- Prepare the Coating: While cookies bake, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemonade Kool-Aid powder until fully combined to make the zesty coating.
- Coat Warm Cookies: Allow the freshly baked warm cookies to cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then dip each cookie into the powdered sugar and Kool-Aid mixture, ensuring full coverage.
- Cool Completely: Place the coated cookies back onto the baking tray and let them cool completely to allow the coating to set.
- Recoat and Serve: Once cooled, dip each cookie again in the powdered sugar mixture for an extra layer of sweetness and texture, then serve.
Notes
- Storage: Store Lemon Cooler Cookies in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 3–4 days. In warm or humid conditions, refrigeration is recommended but may slightly dry out the cookies.
- Freezing: Freeze cookies for 2–3 months. The powdered sugar coating may absorb moisture and become sticky over time. Refresh the coating by recoating with powdered sugar before serving.
- Flavor Variations: Substitute lemon zest, juice, and Kool-Aid powder with orange or lime for a different citrus twist. To omit citrus altogether, use water, milk, or cream in place of lemon juice and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavor.
- Lower Calorie Option: Use True Lemon powder instead of Kool-Aid for a lower calorie option with zero sugar and no artificial colors or preservatives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
