Super Easy Lemon Cooler Cookies Recipe
If you are a lemon lover then you need this super easy Lemon Cooler Cookies recipe in your life! The bright flavors will have your taste buds dancing and starting with a cake mix allows you to get amazing lemon flavor in no time!
Table of Contents
Lemon desserts are perfect all year long. The tart flavor is both refreshing and delicious. Whether you decide to make a lemon bar recipe, lemon curd thumbprint cookies or these lemon coolers cookies your taste buds will do a happy dance.
Some recipes you find will use lemonade mix or lemon extract but this recipe uses a combination of lemon cake mix, fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest for a huge burst of lemon flavor.
The flavor is phenomenal and the texture is perfect. They will remind you of the original lemon coolers you know and love.
Free Email Series
Tips & tricks to achieve the most delicious cookies of your life!
What goes into this Recipe
- Lemon Cake Mix- The perfect starting point for an amazing lemon forward cookie.
- Cornstarch- Helps to create a tender cookie with an amazing lightness.
- Butter & Butter Flavored Shortening- Using a half cup butter and shortening gives the cookies a bakery style texture.
- Fresh Lemon Juice- There is nothing as wonderful as the incredible flavor and the tang of real lemon juice.
- Lemon Zest- A bit of lemon zest in the cookie creates a wonderful natural lemon flavor in the cookie.
- Powdered Sugar- Coating the best lemon cookies in a layer of fluffy powdered sugar is the perfect finishing touch. This technique is also used for these chocolate crinkle cookies.
Variations and Substitutions
To get authentic lemon coolers like the sunshine lemon coolers from Sunshine Bakery, I suggest following the recipe exactly. BUT if you prefer to make a few changes you can add vanilla extract instead of lemon juice.
You can also add 5-6 packages of True Lemon to the powdered sugar for a bold citrus flavor.
How to make easy Lemon Cooler Cookies
1. Combine the lemon cake mix, cornstarch and all purpose flour in a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together to combine.
2. Then add the softened butter, shortening, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest to the dry mixture and cream together using an electric mixer. The dough will be a nice thick consistency.
3. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough onto a silicone mat {or parchment paper} lined baking sheet. Form the cookie dough mounds into round discs, baking 8-10 cookies at a time.
4. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies are baked through but not over baked. Remove from the oven and continue baking the 2nd batch.
5. Once you remove the cookies from the oven. Then take the warm cookies and coat them in confectioners’ sugar.
6. Place the cookies back onto the baking sheet or onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Zest the lemon before juicing it. If you juice the lemon first the zest will be hard to get because the lemon will be misshapen.
- Whisk the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients. Doing so will allow everything to be evenly incorporated throughout the cookies.
- Pull out your stand mixer and paddle attachment for mixing the dough. A hand held mixer will work but a stand mixer will get the job done quickly and easily.
- Use the shortening sticks from the baking aisle in the grocery store. The sticks allow you to easily measure out the ingredient without any added mess.
- Form the cookies into thick discs before baking. This step will help to keep your cookies nice and round.
Storing and Freezing
Store- Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container {or ziploc bag} at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you prefer to refrigerate them they will last a day or two longer.
Freeze- These cookies freeze well for up to 3 months if they are packaged well. I suggest adding parchment or wax paper between layers.
Recipe FAQs
Adding a bit of cornstarch to cookie dough will give the baked cookies more of a crumbly and tender texture.
If you prefer to purchase lemon cooler cookies instead of making homemade lemon cooler cookies you can find them in the cookie aisle.
Sunshine lemon cooler cookies are now made by Keebler who continues to make sweet lemon cooler cookies.
While the cookies are amazing all on their own you could add a scoop of ice cream in between two cookies for an ice cream sandwich.Â
They are also wonderful in the afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee for an amazing pick me up.
Do you love the flavor of lemon? Try these recipes…
Enter your email below and I’ll send it directly to your inbox!
Super Easy Lemon Cooler Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 box lemon cake mix {15.25 ounces}
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup butter {softened}
- ½ cup butter flavored shortening
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Topping
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cookies
- Combine the lemon cake mix, cornstarch and all purpose flour in a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together to combine.
- Add the softened butter, shortening, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest to the dry mixture and cream together using an electric mixer. The dough will be a nice thick consistency.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to measure out cookie dough onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet. Form the cookie dough mounds into round discs, baking 8-10 cookies at a time.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies are baked through but not over baked. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes. Continue baking the remaining cookie dough.
Topping
- While the cookies are still warm, add the powdered sugar to a large bowl and coat each cookie with powdered sugar. Place cookies on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Zest the lemon before juicing it. If you juice the lemon first the zest will be hard to get because the lemon will be misshapen.
- Pull out your stand mixer and paddle attachment for mixing the dough. A hand held mixer will work but a stand mixer will get the job done quickly and easily.
- Use the shortening sticks from the baking aisle in the grocery store. The sticks allow you to easily measure out the ingredient without any added mess.
- Add 5-6 packages of True Lemon to the powdered sugar for a bold citrus flavor.
