Description
Pink Lemonade Cookies are soft, tender sugar cookies infused with a refreshing citrus flavor from lemon zest, lemon juice, and a vibrant pink lemonade drink mix. These cheerful cookies are perfect for summer and feature a tangy pink lemonade glaze that adds a sweet and zesty finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pink lemonade drink mix powder (for dough)
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 drops pink food coloring (optional)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pink lemonade drink mix powder (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pink lemonade drink mix powder until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps to create tender cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, and pink lemonade drink mix powder. Add 2 to 3 drops of pink food coloring if you prefer a more vivid pink color, blending all ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms without overmixing to maintain softness.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly set and the centers still appear soft. This ensures a chewy texture inside.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and pink lemonade drink mix powder until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze the Cookies: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cookies evenly and let it set at room temperature before serving, adding a tangy-sweet finish.
Notes
- For extra lemon flavor, add an additional teaspoon of lemon zest to the cookie dough.
- If you prefer thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
