My lemon coolers are tiny, tangy, powdered-sugar-coated lemon cookies that will remind you of lazy summer afternoons and sunshine in a single bite. They’re buttery-soft, melt in your mouth, and strike a perfect balance between sweet and tart. I tested these cookies over and over to get the texture just right—not too crumbly, not too dense—and this version hits every note. So if you find yourself craving a light and citrusy dessert, make this recipe – you won’t regret it!
Perfect melt-in-your-mouth Sunshine lemon cooler cookies
Sunshine lemon coolers were originally made by, yep, Sunshine Biscuits, which eventually merged with Keebler in the 1990s. You can still buy Memaw’s Original Recipe Lemon Coolers from some stores, or you can just make them using my recipe so you can eat them anytime!
My version nails the melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to careful ratios of butter and cornstarch, and a critical step—chilling the dough—keeps the cookies perfectly shaped without spreading. I also roll the cookies in powdered sugar twice for an extra layer of sweetness. It’s a small step, but it makes all the difference between “good” and “I need that recipe right now.”
If you’re looking for more bright and summery treats, check out my strawberry lemonade cookies, strawberry spoon cake, and blackberry cobbler.
Key ingredients and why they matter
To make these lemon cooler cookies, you need butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, and powdered sugar.
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions are on the recipe card.
- Lemon zest and juice: Using fresh lemon zest and juice is crucial for bright, punchy lemon flavor. Don’t swap bottled juice here—it just won’t be the same.
- Cornstarch: Gives the cookies their tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb. If you don’t have cornstarch, potato starch works too, but avoid omitting it completely.
- Butter: Use high-quality, unsalted butter at room temperature for the creamiest, fluffiest cookie texture.
How to make lemon coolers
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet (or sheets) with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine butter (cut into small cubes), sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. Use a mixer or spatula to cream until smooth and fluffy.
- Add in lemon juice and egg yolk.
- Mix them in until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk baking powder, cornstarch, and flour together. You can also sift directly into the wet mixture if preferred. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. You can also use a stand mixer for this step.
- Cover and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for an hour—don’t skip this!
- Scoop a heaping teaspoon of dough, roll into balls, and place them on your prepared cookie sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until edges look lightly golden and centers appear puffed (they’ll firm up as they cool).
- Let cookies cool briefly on a wire rack, then toss each cookie in powdered sugar to get that characteristic sugar coating.
- Enjoy your lemon coolers or store in an airtight container!
Tips & Tricks
Shruthi’s top tips
- Ensure butter is room temperature for optimal creaming—soft enough to press easily with your finger but not greasy.
- Microwave water in a glass, pour it out, and invert the warm glass over butter for fast softening without melting.
- Chill dough for at least an hour to prevent spreading and achieve perfectly shaped cookies.
- Roll cookies in powdered sugar twice for a thicker, snowy coating that adds extra sweetness and visual appeal.
- These cookies should look slightly puffed and pale when done; they’ll set up perfectly as they cool.
- For a stronger lemon punch, rub the zest into sugar before creaming with butter. You can also add lemon extract into the dough.
- Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to ensure evenly sized cookies for consistent baking.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container to maintain their delicate texture. Place parchment between layers to avoid sticking.
More lemon recipes
Loved these coolers? Try these easy, delicious, lemon-forward desserts (including three other melt-in-your-mouth lemon cookies).
Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Lemon Icebox Pie
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lemon Coolers
Equipment
- 1 Hand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter , at room temperature, cut into cubes
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest, approx 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg yolk, large
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1⅓ cups all purpose flour, (160g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the wet mixture: In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and egg yolk. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together baking powder, cornstarch, and flour.
- Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Use a spatula to bring the dough together, being careful not to overmix.
- Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This helps prevent spreading.
- Shape cookies: Scoop heaping teaspoons of dough (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to turn golden and centers look slightly puffed. Do not overbake.
- Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, toss cookies in powdered sugar to coat. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter and yolk for the best creaming texture.
- Forgot to soften the butter? Microwave water in a glass, pour it out, and invert the warm glass over your butter for a quick fix.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough—this helps the cookies keep their shape.
- Sift powdered sugar if it’s clumpy before coating the cookies.
- Cookies may look underdone—trust the timing and let them finish setting on the baking sheet.
- Add more lemon zest for a punchier citrus flavor, or roll twice in sugar for extra coating.
- Store baked lemon coolers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days—though, let’s be real, they’ll probably disappear within a day!
- Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, place in freezer-safe containers, and when you’re ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual.
- To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely first. Store them in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw cookies at room temperature, then enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OH. MY. GOD. These lemon coolers were the best I’ve EVER tried!
So refreshing with the perfect amount of sweetness. DELISH!
These were delicious! I love how they just melt away in your mouth.