These Lemon Cookies are perfect for a party! Super easy to make with just a handful of ingredients! Lemon zest and lemon juice give these amazing cookies a bright, bold flavor that’s impossible to resist! Love lemon treats? Make sure to try my Lemon Blueberry Scones and Lemon Zucchini Cake!
Lemon Cookies
Nobody loves an easy recipe more than I do. I rely on them daily. Whether it’s breakfast, dinner, or dessert, I like to have an arsenal of easy recipes at the ready for those days when time is in short supply. Now that I think of it, that may be every day…
I am a big fan of cookies. Love them for easy desserts, snacks, lunch boxes, parties and more. What I love even more than a cookie is a lemon cookie. I love lemon everything. It makes me happy.
I almost added white chocolate chips to these soft lemon cookies. White chocolate and lemon are made for each other after all. I left them out though because I want you to try these cookies on their own first.
What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Lemon Cookies
For this easy recipe, you need just 5 ingredients.
1. Lemon cake mix – I use the cake mix with the pudding inside.
2. Cool Whip
3. Egg
4. Lemon – you’ll need the lemon zest and juice from the lemon
5. Powdered Sugar – this is what gives these lemon cookies that cool, cracked top.
The BEST Lemon Cookies EVER
Bold lemon flavor, a beautifully soft interior, and a powdered sugar-coated exterior make these lemon cookies total showstoppers. And you’re going to love how few ingredients they take too! Now, this easy recipe can be adapted with other flavors of cake mix – strawberry, spice, carrot cake. The options are truly endless!
This recipe calls for a lemon cake mix and you’re going to want to buy one that has pudding in the mix – makes these lemon cookies extra moist and delicious! Unlike many of my cake mix cookie recipes, I didn’t use cream cheese. Instead, I used Cool Whip. Yep. Cool Whip.
Cake mix, cool whip, and an egg. I upped the lemon factor by adding in some lemon zest and fresh lemon juice – fantastic!
The cookie dough is scooped and then rolled in powdered sugar before being baked – this is what gives them that gorgeous cracked top. So festive and fun! Just look at them!
My boys find these easy cookies entirely irresistible!
Favorite Lemon Desserts
I am such a big fan of lemon desserts. That sweet and tart combo is something I find irresisitble. If you love lemon desserts too, make sure to check out some of my favorites!
- Lemon Drop Bars
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
- No Bake Blueberry Lemon Cream Pie
- Lemon Meringue Cookie Cups
- Lemon Strawberry Trifle
How To Make Lemon Cookies
Lemon Cookies known as Lemon Whippersnaps
Ingredients
- 15 oz package lemon cake mix with pudding in the mix
- 2 cups Cool Whip
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine cake mix, Cool Whip, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Stir until completely combined.
- Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough.
- Drop cookie dough into the powdered sugar and roll to thoroughly coat.
- Place on the parchment-lined cooke sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
Video
More cookies to try!
Chocolate Chip Turtle Pudding Cookies
Monster Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Brown Butter White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
For all cookie recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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malissa lewis-debruhl says
I made these and they didn’t last one night!! I am making them for a friend tonight and I have a felling I will be making a double batch for our house too!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Aren’t they so yummy? Thanks for letting me know Malissa!
Dana says
Have you tried freezing these cookies? (I just made a batch and they turned out great!!) I have a reception that I’m baking for and would like to make multiple recipes (maybe 3 more) and freeze. Please let me know.
Thanks! 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You know, I sure haven’t Dana. They always disappear too quickly around here. Please let me know if you try and it works out. Thank you!
Dana says
Going to freeze this batch (after eating and sharing a few) then freeze. The reception is next Sunday, but to be safe, I’ll make my other batches closer to the date. I’ll definitely let you know when I take these out of the freezer. Thanks for the prompt reply (and especially for the recipe…it’s a keeper!).
Dana says
Hi Trish,
Reporting back as promised…the frozen batch was…just OK…they ended up to be a little “chewy” after being in the freezer. I’d say it’s better to make them fresh and serve immediately.
I did make a double batch immediately prior (day before) the reception and it worked very well! They were a hit…my daughter especially liked them and three people asked me for the recipe!
Thanks again!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks for letting me know Dana! I guess just in emergencies then, right? So glad you enjoyed these cookies as much as we do! Have a great weekend 🙂
Sallita Ballard says
Any suggestions for making a crisper cookie? Bake longer? Thank you-this looks super delish and lemony!
Sharie Powers says
Are these cookies soft after they are baked? Like snickerdoodles?
WendyB says
How do you measure the cool whip? Do you use a measuring cup or do you go by the ounces on the container?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
With a measuring cup Wendy! Thanks!
Julie says
What size cups are you using for the cool whip
lady trouble says
i had to laugh at that question. isn’t there only one size for a cup?
Gail Pierce says
Not true. There is a liquid cup and dry cup. Which cup, liquid or dry? Thanks
Sherry says
Do you hav a similar recipe that does not use a cake mix?
Leah Haugneland says
I made these last night with lemon cake mix & lemon instant pudding and they were very sticky. Is this normal or is because of our temp/humidity, we live in Houston and it was unseasonably warm/humid? I also remember seeing cake mixes saying “w/ pudding in the mix”, but I don’t see that anymore. Is there a way by looking at the ingredients to check if pudding is included in the mix if it’s not indicated on the package? Could this have contributed to the stickiness because there were more dry ingredients to start with as compared to the Cool Whip and could I add some more CW to get to the right consistency? I can’t view the video to see what the consistency should be. Did you form a ball to roll in the powdered sugar and then press them down to a flatter shape before you bake? Mine didn’t spread out in the 1sr batch so I flattened them in the following batches. Sorry for all the questions, but not being able to watch the video didn’t help me. Thanks!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
The dough is pretty sticky. I use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough and drop it directly into a bowl of powdered sugar. Then I sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the ball and roll it around to coat. When I put it on the cookie sheet, I do press it down slightly.
As far as adding the separate pudding mix, I’m not sure. All of the Betty Crocker Supermoist cake mixes have pudding in the mix already so that may be why you’re not seeing it. At my Target, I picked up a lemon cake mix box that said “pudding in the mix”.
Hope this helps!
Trudy says
Mine turn out better if I add two tablespoons of flour to the mixture. Not so sticky.
Leah Haugneland says
Thanks Trish and Trudy!! Really appreciate the suggestions and I will give them a try because they were a hit, even by adding the pudding to the Duncan Hines cake mix. I’d like a 2nd go at them!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You’re so welcome!
Juanie says
I seen your recipe calls for Lemon cake mix with pudding in the mix. If I can’t find that, can I use a box of lemon pudding mix
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Absolutely!
Hannah says
How much of the lemon pudding mix do you add? I also couldnt find a cake mix with pudding :/
Cheryl Farrell says
Was wondering if I can’t find cake with pudding, can you add instant vanilla pudding instead and how much
susan flentjar says
what is the ingredient “cool whip” for the lemon whippersnaps biscuits please ??
Nancy says
If I can only find a cake mix without pudding can I use it, or do I need to do something different if I do use it?
Sam C says
How do I know if a cake mix has pudding in it? Will it just say it on the box?? So excited to make these!!!
Naomi says
It will be written on the box
Rahul Hacker says
Looks delish!!! I love ❤️
Laurie says
How many cookies does this recipe make? I have the same size scoop as show ..thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I got 2 1/2 dozen cookies Laurie! Have a great weekend!
cbross says
What would you use instead of cool whip? It’s not a particularly healthy product
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Neither is cake mix 🙂 There isn’t really a “healthy” substitution but you could try using 2 cups of whipped cream in place. I haven’t made them that way but it might work.
tlr5859 says
What about low fat cool whip, or Neuftchatel cream cheese instead?
Susan Edwards says
That was my question. Lite Cool Whip?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think lite would work fine but I haven’t tried it Susan.
Robin says
I made them last night and used fat free cool whip. The cookies are delicious! Thank you Trish! I also put a bunch in the freezer because well I like all my cookies crispy and crunchy!
Billie says
I use this recipe to make Chocolate Crinkles. I sub a devil’s food cake mix and leave out the lemon zest and juice. Yummy cookies!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh yes! So good!
Naomi says
Hat liquid do you use then if you don’t use the lemon juice
Sharon says
How long will the Lemon cookies store keeping their texture?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Four to five days.