Welcome back! Today I’m sharing a copycat recipe for Girl Scout Lemonades as part of my Copycat Series. If you’ve enjoyed my homemade Tagalongs, Thin Mints, and Samoas, you’ll love this bright, buttery lemon cookie. These cookies capture the same delicate shortbread texture and tangy lemon glaze that make Lemonades a favorite for spring and summer.
Table Talk with Tawnie
I still remember my first bite of an original Girl Scout Lemonades cookie — one bite and I was hooked. When I began this copycat series I knew these had to be included. After weeks of testing, I’ve balanced a crisp, buttery shortbread base with a smooth lemon glaze that sets just right. These are perfect for spring and summer, and even if you haven’t tried the store-bought version, this homemade take is worth baking.
Ingredient Notes
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Unsalted butter (softened): Bring to room temperature for easy creaming and even texture.
- Powdered sugar: Yields a tender, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread and helps the dough keep its shape for the stamped detail.
- Lemon extract + vanilla: A touch of both gives the cookies authentic lemon shortbread flavor without overpowering the glaze.
- All-purpose flour: Measure using the spoon-and-level method to avoid dry, dense cookies.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest: Brightens the glaze and balances sweetness while giving a fresh lemon aroma.
- Yellow gel food coloring: Optional — one drop will give the glaze that lemonade color but won’t affect taste.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Make the dough
Cream the butter, then add powdered sugar, salt, egg, lemon and vanilla extracts, and finally the flour. If the dough seems dry, add a splash of milk — but be careful or the cookies may spread.
Roll and cut cookies
Divide the dough in half, roll each portion between parchment sheets to about 1/4″ thickness, then chill. Chilling is important to prevent spreading. Cut disks and stamp with a lemon design before baking.
Bake
Bake until the edges are just set — I prefer to slightly underbake for a tender shortbread. Cool completely before glazing so the icing adheres properly.
Add lemon icing
Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth. Dunk the bottom of each cooled cookie in a thin layer of glaze, allow excess to drip off, and set on parchment until the glaze hardens.
Enjoy!!
Serve and enjoy — these are dangerously good, and I dare you to eat just one.
Expert Tips
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon into the cup and level off or use a food scale to avoid dry cookies.
- Avoid overbaking: Pull cookies when edges are just set; they’ll finish cooking off the sheet.
- Minimize re-rolling: Cut cookies close together to reduce scraps; re-roll dough only 2–3 times to keep cookies tender.
- Use a sharp cutter: A sharp-edged cutter gives clean circles. Flour the cutter lightly to prevent sticking.
- Cool completely: Glaze will slide off warm cookies, so be patient and cool fully before dipping.
Storage / Freezing
Storage: Keep cookies at room temperature up to 5 days. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
Freezing: Once the icing is fully set, freeze cookies with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Let frozen cookies sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes before serving.
FAQs
How thick should I roll the cookie dough?
Roll to about 1/4″ to match the original Lemonades. If you prefer thicker cookies, roll up to 1/2″ and add a minute or two to the bake time.
Why are my cutout cookies spreading or losing their shape?
Warm dough will spread. Chill for at least 1–2 hours (or overnight). If the dough warms while cutting, pop the baking sheet in the freezer 10–15 minutes before baking.
Can I make the cookie dough in advance?
Yes. Rolled dough keeps in the fridge 2–3 days. You can freeze unrolled dough up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
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Cookie Cutter
Lemon Cookie Stamp
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked the recipe — your feedback helps keep these free recipes coming.
Copycat Girl Scout Lemonades
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Ingredients
Shortbread cookie:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- Drop of gel yellow food coloring (optional)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating so others know how it turned out.
Instructions
- Cream butter: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the softened butter 2–3 minutes until light. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add sugar: Add powdered sugar and salt, mixing to combine.
- Add egg & extracts: Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon extract. Mix until incorporated; the dough may look slightly curdled — that’s fine.
- Add flour: Gradually add the flour on medium-low and mix just until combined. If the dough seems dry, add a splash of milk.
- Divide and roll: Divide dough in half, place each portion between parchment sheets, and roll to about 1/4″ thickness.
- Chill: Refrigerate the rolled dough 1–2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Cut and stamp: Use a 2⅝” (68mm) cutter to cut circles, then lightly flour and press a lemon cookie stamp into each. Transfer to prepared sheets. Re-roll scraps only a couple times.
- Bake: Bake 7–9 minutes, until edges are just set. Cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze: Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth. Dunk the bottom of each cooled cookie in a thin layer of glaze, let excess drip off, and place icing-side up on parchment to set about 30 minutes.
- Enjoy! Let the glaze fully harden, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
Storage: Store at room temperature up to 5 days with parchment between layers.
Freezing: Freeze fully iced cookies with parchment between layers up to 3 months. Thaw briefly at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.
📸 Photos by Sierra Ashleigh Photography