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Lemon Coolers (copycat recipe)

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Lemon Coolers – the best lemon cookies ever!

 

A bowl of powder sugar covered lemon cookies

Lemon Coolers – have the most incredible, intense lemon flavor ever!

Hot from the oven, these melt-in-your mouth Lemon Coolers are tossed in a mixture of crystallized lemon and powdered sugar. The sugar melts onto the cookie creating a coating loaded with lemon flavor.

I’ll just apologize right now. If you’re trying to diet (as I am) these bites of lemon perfection may cause you to want to binge a little. It’s so hard to eat just one, or two, or even three for that matter. These pop-in-your-mouth bite sized cookies have a perfect texture and plenty of sour-sweet lemon tang.

Lemon Coolers come out of the oven lightly browned on the bottom with a slightly soft texture. They’re immediately tossed in the powdered sugar / crystallized lemon mixture and put on a rack to cool. After about an hour, they’re tossed in the sugar again and you’re done!

Once cooled the cookie texture is firm, almost like a nice shortbread without being crumbly.

 

A plate of lemon cooler cookies

Right now you might be wondering about crystallized lemon and how you can get some, too.

I used a product with real lemon flavor made from real fruit named True Lemon. It comes in little packets and is often used for flavoring water, tea or recipes, as I have done here. This is not a sponsored post, and the nice folks over at True Lemon have no idea who I am. We just really love this stuff.

Each packet of True Lemon equals the taste of 1 lemon wedge, has 0 calories, 0g sugar, it’s unsweetened and has no artificial colors or preservatives. You should go check them out … after you finish reading my post, of course 🙂

We’ve used True Lime in the past and loved it in these Lime & Coconut Fruit & Nut Bars. These cookies would be great as Lime Coolers – just substituting lime for the lemon, or even key lime. You may see that version show up here sometime soon.

This company also makes a good lemonade mix but I didn’t use that in this recipe. We used the plain crystallized lemon. I’ve included an affiliate link to Amazon at the end of this post so you can check it out. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if True Lemon is available outside the United States.

If you can find something comparable, or even an unsweetened lemonade mix, that may work here. I have not tested these cookies using lemonade mix but if it tastes like you took a big bite out of a lemon, then I say use it!

 

Powder sugar coated Lemon Cooler Cookies with lemons

Do you remember the Lemon Cooler cookies from years ago? They came in a box and were totally addictive.

Sunshine Biscuits distributed the original Lemon Coolers, but in the 1990’s they merged with Keebler and the iconic lemon cookies disappeared from the grocery store shelves. My husband admits to eating more than his share of the original Lemon Cooler cookies, and now he can boast that about these too!

I think these cookies are fantastic, but he thinks they’re better than that – even better than the original. They are a blast of citrus sunshine on these cold winter days for sure!

 

Lemon Cooler cookies in a blue bowl with sliced lemons

To ensure plenty of lemon flavor, the cookie dough is loaded with lemon juice, lemon zest and a little lemon extract.

Lemon extract is made with an oil derived from lemon peel, then mixed with alcohol and water. It can be pretty intense so we only added 1/2 teaspoon. But no worries, there’s plenty of luscious lemon flavor through and through.

If you’ve searched high and low for a great lemon cookie recipe with intense lemon tang, you need to try these cookies ASAP! Afternoon tea will never be the same 🙂

 

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A blue bowl filled with powder sugar covered lemon cookies

 

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5 from 18 votes

Lemon Coolers

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 14 mins
Total Time: 44 mins
Yield: 48 Cookies
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
Hot from the oven, these melt-in-your mouth cookies are tossed in a mixture of crystallized lemon and powdered sugar for the best, most intense lemon flavor ever!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon fine zest)
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract

For coating warm cookies:

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 5 or 6 (0.8g) packages True Lemon crystals (see note below)

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and ¼ cup of powdered sugar on medium-high until fluffy and light, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk and lemon extract. Beat until combined.
  • Add ⅓ of the reserved flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and blend on low until incorporated. Repeat in two more additions, blending just until the flour is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend for just a few seconds as needed. Scrape down the sides again and gather the dough into a ball in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place two-inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Lightly flatten each dough ball using the bottom of a small flat drinking glass covered with a piece of wax paper. I use a rubber band to keep the wax paper on the glass.
  • In a small pie plate or low rimmed bowl, combine the 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar and the lemon crystals. Mix well and set aside.
  • Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and immediately toss a few hot cookies in the powdered sugar mixture, face down, to coat. After a few seconds turn the sugar coated cookies over using a fork. Once completely covered with lemon sugar on both sides, remove with a fork onto a cooling rack and repeat until all hot cookies are well covered. Work quickly to ensure the cookies don’t cool before covering in sugar. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Don’t let the dough sit on a hot pan for long before baking.
  • Allow all the cookies to cool for about an hour, then toss again in the powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

  • Use organic lemons for the zest whenever possible. Make sure you only zest the yellow outer skin of the lemon, no white pith.
  • True Lemon Crystals is made from crystalized lemon, with no added sugar, or preservatives. It can be found near the artificial sweeteners in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Don't confuse this with the True Lemon Lemonade mix.

Here’s a link to the True Lemon used in this recipe and a few of our favorite essential baking tools: Click on the photos for more information:

   

If you decide to purchase something at Amazon after following my affiliate link, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.

We’re nuts about lemon here at SRFD. One of our all-time favorite cookies are these delightful Lemon Meltaways. Another fantastic lemon dessert is this Easy Lemon Posset. It’s a cross between a lush pudding and a silky lemon curd, and is made with three simple ingredients.

Tangy Lemon Bars are another super easy favorite with loads of lemon flavor. Our Homemade Lemon Curd can’t be beat – just read the rave reviews here and on Pinterest!

I know you’re going to drool over these lovely Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies! And finally, be sure to hang onto this recipe for Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Filling it looks divine!

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87 Comments

  2. Kathy says

    5 stars
    I loved these cookies. Lemon is my favorite flavor. I like it even more than chocolate. Hard to find good lemon cookies at the store. I don’t usually make substitutions the first time that I make a recipe. I really hate it when people make subs and then rate the recipes low. I didn’t have a real lemon. I used Italia lemon juice (not from concentrate) and added an extra 1/4 tsp of lemon extract for the zest. I used a small scoop for the dough. They were larger than normal Lemon Coolers. I baked for 15 minutes. They were a softer cookie than store bought. Next time I will make them a little smaller, although I kind of liked the softer cookie. The flavor was delicious!!!! Thanks for the fabulous recipe. I lost a few to the oven cause I used a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. The paper slid off of the pan. All my fault. LOL I will definitely make these again and again.

    reply to this comment >

  5. Greg says

    5 stars
    I found both the lemon and lime cooler cookies at Fresh Market a few months ago. My lemon tree was full of lemons, so I found this recipe. I did a trial run and they were a success, so they were on my list for Christmas baking. The second time, I kept the dough in the fridge for three hours (the trial run, only one hour) and the dough was easier to roll into balls. I made smaller, 1/2 inch balls and used six packs of the True Lemon in the coating. The smaller coolers were more crisp and bite-size like the ones I purchased (and remembered as a kid!) and they were superb. A few days after Christmas, the orange tree was ready to be picked, so I found the True Orange crystals at Amazon, picked up the orange extract and made Orange Coolers! Of the two, I really like the orange best, especially after thinking to myself, “ORANGE cookies???” But, they do leave a pleasant orange aftertaste in your mouth. Thanks for the recipe!

    reply to this comment >

  7. Richelle Deharde says

    5 stars
    If you like True Lemon, you can dispense it by the teaspoon in the large bottle from Amazon.
    Great to see it in this recipe. We’ve loved original Sunshine Lemon Coolers from birth and never knew til now how to reproduce that zing.

    reply to this comment >

      • Richelle Deharde says

        5 stars
        We made these with ease! They are so scrumptious that I had to give away many to our neighbors in order to save my hips from expansion! They are now on my list of 4 sweets that I will be making for Christmas gifts. It is right up there with our traditional Louisiana pralines. Thanks so much!

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  8. T. Whitehead says

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe! Absolutely enjoy these with tea! I am making them as gifts for everyone! They are just like the Key West Lemon Coolers and I can’t wait to try them in other flavors! Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    reply to this comment >

  10. alyson says

    5 stars
    I longed for the boxed cookies and came across this recipe. I am a True Lemon ( & orange & lime & grapefruit) fan and so could tell from recipe they would have the flavor I was looking for. The dough is in the fridge as we speak.
    I’m looking forward to trying an orange version.
    Has anyone tried freezing the cookie dough balls?
    Thanks for sharing the recipe and naming it so easy to find.
    P.s. I order True Lemon and the rest of the flavors directly from the company and always have them on hand.

    reply to this comment >

  14. Jess says

    Hi Tricia, what do you usually do to thaw the refridgerated dough? I chilled the dough for about 21 hours so it’s too tough to roll into balls. (btw I’m from Australia and when I was younger my mum once bought a special Christmas tin of these cookies. I still remember them!! Can’t wait!)

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Jess – I love food memories and so glad you’re trying these delicious cookies. The dough can sit out at room temperature until pliable – maybe 15-20 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is at the time. We visited Sydney in 2017 – LOVED your beautiful country. Did the Blue Mountains too. I want to come back 🙂 Enjoy the cookies and have a happy holiday season!

      reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      I’m not sure what happened Johnna. Just like any cookie hot from the oven, they are a little more delicate until cooled. However, they should be crisp once cooled. Perhaps you didn’t bake them long enough? Make sure the butter is very soft when making the dough, and refrigerate it according to the directions before baking. Don’t put the dough balls on a hot baking sheet until ready to put in the oven.

      reply to this comment >

  16. Priscilla says

    5 stars
    I would caution any would-be baker to make sure they read and understand the instructions before they set out. The result is fantastic! Looking forward to sharing these delicious cookies with friends. Happy holidays!

    reply to this comment >

  17. Lisa says

    5 stars
    Oh my, I made these last week and they were phenomenal! The True Lemon makes all the difference, in my opinion. The only problem I had was that, straight out of the oven, the cookies were too fragile to coat immediately in the powdered sugar/lemon mixture; so I waited about 10 minutes until they were slightly warm before coating them in the sugar/lemon mixture. Which made me wonder: what would be the advantage to coating the cookies immediately out of the oven? Perhaps so that the sugar would melt slightly, thereby creating a sort of crunchy, sugary layer when you bite into the cookie? Or maybe for better overall coverage of the powdered sugar? In any case, these were soooo good that I am obsessed with making another batch soon! Thank you so much!

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Lisa – so glad you loved these cookies and thanks for the great question and comment. If you coat the cookies while hot, the sugar melts and adheres to the cookie surface giving it a nice sweet, thick coating. Once cooled, the second coating gives them a nice powered sugar exterior, and helps prevent the cookies from sticking together. I found that putting the cookies directly into the sugar while hot, waiting a minute or so, then gently turning with a fork was all that is needed to get a nice coating of icing. Use a spatula, slide them into the bowl with the powdered sugar, then turn after the cookies melt the sugar. Hope that makes sense. You really don’t need to toss them around, just lay them in the sugar, wait, then turn, and wait again. It takes a few minutes but it’s absolutely worth it! Thanks and good luck on the next batch.

      reply to this comment >

  18. Mona says

    5 stars
    I’ve made lots of Pinterest recipes but this is the first comment I’ve ever felt compelled to write.
    These cookies are wonderful! If I had the chance to pick my last meal, these cookies would be on the menu! Thank you for a great recipe.

    reply to this comment >

  19. Cynthia says

    I’m so happy to have stumbled upon your recipe. I’ve missed this cookie. One question, my grand daughter can not have any dairy. Is shortening a good substitute for the butter?
    Cyn

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Cynthia – I think shortening is a great choice as a substitute but since I have not tested it, I cannot say for sure that it will have the same texture or buttery flavor. I think it’s worth a try anyway. Sorry to be so late in responding, we are traveling out of the country. Thanks for the great question and good luck!

      reply to this comment >

  21. Jeanice says

    Thanks for the recipe can not find them in the store anymore I eat these so much when I was pregnant with my son forty years ago bought them forever then now I can’t find them!!!! Wish I could still buy them I live in cedartown Georgia!!! Do you know where I could buy them? But I will try to make them!!!! Hope to hear from you. Thanks so much!!!!!!

    reply to this comment >

  22. Julie says

    Lemon Coolers were one of my all-time favs as a kid – spent many a summer day blissfully addicted! I was so sad when I couldn’t find them any longer (now I know why ????). I’m SO excited to try your recipe – if it’s even remotely close to the original I will be ecstatic! Thank you for recreating a childhood favorite.

    reply to this comment >

  24. Monica says

    I don’t think I’ve ever had lemon coolers and I am dying to try yours right now. Back in the day, I used to adore this lemon cream wafer cookie (Asian market thing) and that’s as close to a lemon dessert as I got growing up. I just made lemon tarts yesterday and we just love the brightness of lemon. I know your cookies would be irresistible!

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Doni. You must be looking at the True Lemon Lemonade mix. The plain True Lemon – Crystalized Lemon is made with citric acid, lemon oil and lemon juice. No Stevia. Be sure you’re looking at the unsweetened, 0 calorie, 0g sugar packets.

      reply to this comment >

  28. diana miller says

    Love your recipes your pics are fab and I want to make this one but amazon.com doesnt ship this to canada and amazon.ca only has the powder for lemonaide do you have any suggestion where i can purchase this n toronto or any bloggers that could help thank you diana in toronto

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Diana! I would use the lemonade mix in place of the True Lemon. I would start with one package added to the powdered sugar and give it a taste. It should be both sweet and sour and have an almost intense lemon flavor. If you think it can stand more, add another package. I have the lemonade mix and checked the label. The biggest difference is the addition of pure cane sugar. Also, I searched the Store Locator Map on the True Citrus website and found it is carried in some stores around Toronto. Not sure where you live but you may check for your own address here: TRUE CITRUS STORE LOCATOR MAP. Good luck and you won’t be sorry you made the extra effort. These cookies are absolutely terrific, and all our taste testers agree. Let me know how it turns out for you! Good luck and thanks for visiting us.

      reply to this comment >

  34. Mary Beth says

    5 stars
    It was a year ago that I won my work’s first ever “Cookie Bake Off Contest” with your Lemon Lime Shortbread cookie recipe – the one with lemon curd in the center! (Thank you again!!!). This year contest is next week – should I go with lemon again?? This recipe sounds amazing . It’s actually making me drool.

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      How exciting Mary Beth – and I am so honored you might choose another one of my recipes. This is hands down one of the best cookies ever. I cannot say enough good things about them. They are easy to make, and hard to mess up. Such a surprise with all the lemon flavor. As long as the judges taste the cookies, you should have a good response. Good luck! How awesome!

      reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Marcellina – so glad you came for a visit. We spent two weeks in Sydney this past fall – such a beautiful city. We really had a wonderful time. I still have over 1,500 photos to edit – and someday plan to share a post about our trip. I hope you try these cookies, and perhaps an all natural lemonade powder will work well in place of the True Lemon. Thanks so much for stopping by! You have a beautiful blog.

      reply to this comment >