The Best Lemon Cookie Cake Recipe: Soft, Chewy, and Perfectly Citrusy for Any Occasion
Get ready to delight your taste buds with this incredible **Lemon Cookie Cake**! Imagine a dessert that’s soft, incredibly chewy, and bakes into a large, impressive cake perfect for serving a crowd. Topped with a luscious, tangy lemon buttercream frosting, every bite of this bright, citrusy cookie cake is like sipping on a sweet glass of homemade lemonade. It’s truly a sunshine-filled treat that brings joy to any gathering.
Why This Lemon Cookie Cake Will Be Your New Favorite Dessert
This isn’t just any cookie cake; it’s a lemon-infused masterpiece designed to be both delicious and incredibly easy to make. Here’s why you’ll fall head over heels for this recipe:
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Perfect Texture: Soft, Chewy, and Sliceable!
Based on our family’s highly-rated lemon sugar cookie bars, this lemon cookie cake boasts a delightful texture. It’s perfectly soft and chewy, yet dense enough to slice cleanly without crumbling, making it ideal for parties and potlucks. Every piece holds its shape beautifully, offering that satisfying bite that keeps everyone coming back for more.
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A Tried-and-True Recipe, Elevated!
You can trust this recipe because it’s built upon the foundation of our wildly popular sugar cookie cake. We’ve simply taken that beloved base and infused it with vibrant, fresh lemon flavor, transforming it into a bright and zesty treat. This means you’re getting a reliable recipe with a delicious citrus twist.
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The Ultimate Summer Celebration Cake!
Forget the hassle of icebox cakes or the predictability of a traditional birthday cake. This lemon cookie cake offers a fun, festive, and incredibly delicious alternative. It’s soft, perfectly sliceable, and practically melts in your mouth, making it a fantastic choice for summer birthdays, backyard BBQs, or any warm-weather gathering where a refreshing dessert is desired. It’s genuinely a step above store-bought options.
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Tastes Like a Frosted Lemonade in Cookie Form!
If the idea of a giant cookie that captures the essence of a creamy, tart, and sweet frosted lemonade doesn’t convince you, we’re not sure what will! This unique flavor profile is truly addictive and sets this lemon cookie cake apart.
Essential Ingredient Notes & Smart Substitutions for Your Lemon Cookie Cake
Understanding your ingredients is key to baking success. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why, along with useful substitution advice:
- Butter: For best results, I always recommend baking with **unsalted butter** as it gives you more control over the overall saltiness of the dessert. However, if you only have salted butter on hand, it will work just fine – simply omit the additional salt in the cookie cake dough. Crucially, I do not recommend using margarine or other butter substitutes, as these can significantly alter the texture and flavor profile of your cookie cake, preventing it from achieving that perfect soft, chewy consistency.
- Lemon Extract: This ingredient is a true game-changer and absolutely **crucial for achieving a pronounced and vibrant lemon flavor** in both the cookie cake and the buttercream. Fresh lemon juice alone won’t provide the same intensity. I typically use an affordable store brand, but any quality lemon extract will do the job. Don’t skip this for that undeniable zesty punch!
- Fresh Lemon Juice: While the cookie cake will still be delicious without it, I **highly recommend adding a splash of fresh lemon juice to the frosting.** This simple addition elevates the buttercream, giving it a wonderfully bright, tangy, and authentic lemonade-like flavor that beautifully complements the sweet cookie base. It adds a layer of freshness you won’t want to miss.
- All-Purpose Flour: This recipe has been developed using standard all-purpose flour. I haven’t personally tested it with gluten-free flour substitutes, but based on my experience with the foundational sugar cookie recipe, gluten-free flours can sometimes result in a drier texture. If you decide to experiment with a gluten-free alternative, please leave a comment to share your results and any adjustments you made – your feedback is valuable to the baking community!
Expert Tips for Success & Delicious Variations
Achieving a perfect lemon cookie cake is easy with these insider tips and creative variations:
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Always Line the Pan with Parchment Paper!
This is a non-negotiable step for a clean release. Without parchment paper, your beautifully baked lemon cookie cake is highly likely to stick to the pan, making it difficult to slice and serve. A well-greased and parchment-lined pan ensures your cookie cake slides out effortlessly, ready for frosting and presentation.
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Do Not Overbake for the Best Texture!
The secret to a soft, chewy cookie cake is knowing when to pull it from the oven. Only bake the lemon sugar cookie cake until you see very light golden-brown edges. The center may still appear slightly underbaked, but don’t worry – it will continue to cook and set as it cools in the hot pan. Overbaking is the enemy of chewiness, leading to a drier, more crumbly cookie.
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Transform it into a Lemon Birthday Cake!
Looking for unique lemon birthday cake ideas? This giant cookie cake is an ideal canvas! Easily customize it by decorating with fun sprinkles, or use the free number stencils from my birthday cookie cake post to create a personalized, festive giant sugar cookie pizza. It’s a delightful and memorable alternative to traditional cakes.
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Allow it to Cool Completely Before Frosting!
Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to frosting. Piping creamy lemon buttercream onto a warm cookie cake will inevitably lead to a melted, messy disaster. Ensure your cookie cake is completely cooled to room temperature (you can even speed this up by placing the pan in the fridge) before you begin decorating. This ensures your frosting holds its shape beautifully.
Creative Topping Ideas to Elevate Your Lemon Cookie Cake
While delicious on its own, this lemon cookie cake is also a fantastic base for a variety of creative toppings. Here are some ideas to make your giant cookie cake even more special:
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Add Fresh Berries for a Fruit Pizza Vibe!
Transform your lemon cookie cake into a vibrant fruit sugar cookie pizza. Once frosted, arrange your favorite fresh fruits on top. Blueberries create a delightful lemon blueberry cookie cake, while raspberries make a beautiful lemon raspberry cookie cake. For more inspiration on creating stunning fruit arrangements, check out my sugar cookie fruit pizza guide.
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Drizzle with White Chocolate for Elegance!
For a more sophisticated and visually appealing dessert, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it artfully over the frosted lemon cookie cake. The creamy sweetness of white chocolate pairs wonderfully with the tart lemon flavor. -
Double the Frosting for Extra Indulgence!
If you love a generous layer of frosting or want to cover the entire surface of the cookie cake and add an elaborate piped border, I highly recommend doubling the lemon buttercream frosting recipe. This ensures you have plenty to work with for a truly decadent finish.
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Amp Up the Lemon Flavor with Zest or Curd!
For true lemon enthusiasts, intensify the citrus notes by adding a layer of tangy lemon curd over the frosted cake, or simply sprinkle fresh lemon zest over the top just before serving. Both options provide an extra burst of bright lemon aroma and taste.
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Top with Sprinkles for a Fun Celebration!
After frosting, immediately add a shower of colorful sprinkles! This is a simple yet effective way to make your lemon cookie cake look even more festive and fun, perfect for birthdays, graduations, or any joyful occasion.
How to Make the Perfect Lemon Sugar Cookie Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these detailed steps to create a show-stopping lemon sugar cookie cake that will impress everyone:
Step 1: Prepare Your Cookie Dough
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, refer to the detailed instructions in the recipe card below to mix your cookie dough. While a hand or stand mixer is highly recommended for efficiency, it’s crucial not to over-mix the dough or beat the butter for more than 30 seconds. Our goal is to achieve a slightly denser dough for that perfect chewy cookie cake texture, rather than a light and fluffy consistency.
Tip: When crafting lemon desserts like this, lemon extract is indispensable. It delivers a bright, concentrated citrus flavor that fresh lemon juice alone cannot replicate, ensuring your cookie cake truly shines with lemon essence!
Step 2: Press into Pan & Bake
Evenly distribute dollops of your prepared dough into a greased and parchment-lined cookie cake pan. Then, use your hands or another piece of parchment paper to gently flatten and spread the dough, ensuring it’s evenly distributed across the bottom of the pan. Bake according to the detailed cookie pizza recipe instructions provided below. If you don’t have a dedicated cookie cake pan, don’t fret! You can use this clever DIY cookie cake pan hack to fashion one from aluminum foil, just remember that a foil pan might require a few extra minutes of baking time.
Tip: For effortless removal of your cookie cake from the pan (especially if you plan to transfer it to a serving tray), it’s highly recommended to not only grease the pan but also line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. This guarantees a clean release.
Step 3: Prepare Your Zesty Lemon Buttercream Frosting
While your glorious cookie cake cools completely, seize the opportunity to whip up the dreamy lemon buttercream frosting! Combine the specified ingredients into a smooth, creamy, and easily pipeable frosting. The consistency should be perfect for decorating, but you can always adjust it as needed: add a bit more fresh lemon juice or a splash of milk to thin it out if it’s too stiff, or incorporate a little extra powdered sugar if you need a firmer frosting for intricate piping work.
Step 4: Frost & Decorate Your Masterpiece
Once the lemon cookie cake is entirely cool, it’s time for the fun part! Use a sturdy ziploc bag with the corner snipped off or a large star tip to pipe an elegant border around the edges of the cake. Unleash your creativity by topping it with a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest, a scattering of colorful sprinkles, or even pipe on a special birthday number using my handy number stencils for a truly personalized touch.
If you’re making this recipe as a giant fruit pizza sugar cookie, you can skip the border and instead frost the entire cookie cake surface from edge to edge. Then, artfully arrange an assortment of fresh fruit and other desired toppings for a visually stunning and delicious treat!
Storage & Freezing Tips for Your Lemon Cookie Cake
To ensure your lemon cookie cake stays fresh and delicious, follow these storage and freezing guidelines:
Storage: Thanks to the buttercream frosting recipe not relying on milk products, you don’t necessarily need to refrigerate the finished cake if consumed within a few hours. For optimal freshness and texture, store your lemon cookie cake in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. If storing longer or in warm environments, refrigeration is recommended.
Freezing: This lemon sugar cookie cake can be frozen for 1 to 2 months. However, for the best possible texture and flavor, I recommend enjoying it fresh. Freezing can sometimes cause the cookie to dry out slightly or absorb freezer odors. If you must freeze it, it’s best to freeze the unfrosted cookie cake. Once thawed at room temperature, you can then prepare and apply the fresh lemon buttercream frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Lemon Cookie Cake:
While you can, I strongly advise against it if you want a pronounced, bright lemon flavor. The lemon extract is absolutely crucial for a strong, vibrant lemon taste in the cookie cake and frosting. Using only fresh lemon juice will result in a much more subtle, almost undetectable lemon flavor. If you prefer just a hint of lemon, you could technically omit the extract from the cookie dough and only add fresh lemon juice to the frosting for a very mild citrus note. But for that true “lemonade in cookie form” experience, both are recommended!
Yes, absolutely! If you don’t have a specialized round cookie cake pan, you can still make this delicious recipe. However, using a different sized pan will alter the baking time significantly. A smaller pan will create a thicker cookie cake, requiring a longer baking duration. Conversely, a larger pan will result in a thinner cookie, which will bake much faster. Regardless of the pan size, always keep a close eye on your lemon cookie cake, looking for those lightly browned edges rather than strictly adhering to the recipe’s specified times. If you opt for my foil DIY cookie cake pan trick, anticipate baking for a few extra minutes since foil doesn’t conduct heat as efficiently as a metal pan.
Absolutely! This lemon cookie cake recipe serves as a phenomenal base for creating beautiful and delicious sugar cookie fruit pizzas. The bright lemon flavor pairs incredibly well with a variety of fresh berries. I personally adore strawberries on this cookie cake, but fresh raspberries or blueberries would also be fantastic choices. You can even create a colorful medley of different fruits for an impressive presentation and a burst of fresh flavors.
While this recipe is specifically designed for a giant cookie cake, if you’re looking to make regular-sized lemon cookies, I highly recommend trying my dedicated recipe for Soft & Thick Lemon Sugar Cookies. That recipe is perfectly formulated for individual cookies, ensuring they bake up with the ideal shape, spread, and soft texture you’d expect from a classic lemon sugar cookie.
Lemon Sugar Cookie Cake
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Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookie Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract (Note: this is a tablespoon, not a teaspoon!)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional, but highly recommended for best flavor! If omitting, replace with a splash of milk to adjust frosting consistency.)
- Pinch of salt
- Drop of yellow food coloring (optional, for vibrant color)
Before you begin! If you make this delightful Lemon Cookie Cake, would you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating below? Your feedback helps my small business thrive, allowing me to continue providing delicious free recipes and high-quality content for you to enjoy!
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If your butter isn’t already softened, you can gently microwave it for about 10 seconds to *slightly* soften it, being careful not to melt it completely.
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In a large mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter (1 cup, or 2 sticks) and granulated sugar (1 cup) on medium speed for 20-30 seconds. Avoid overbeating, as we want a denser cookie. While the mixer is still on medium speed, incorporate the egg (1 large), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), and crucially, the lemon extract (1 tablespoon). Mix until just combined.
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Once the wet ingredients are mixed, add in the baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons), salt (½ teaspoon), and the all-purpose flour gradually, about ½ cup at a time, until all 2 ¼ cups total are incorporated. Ensure you measure your flour correctly using the spoon & level method, as too much flour can lead to a dry cookie cake. Mix only until the flour streaks disappear, typically within 20-30 seconds.
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Lightly spray a round metal 12″ cookie cake pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. The grease underneath will help the parchment paper stay in place.
If you don’t have a cookie cake pan, you can bake this in a 9×13 inch pan for approximately 14-16 minutes, or utilize this clever DIY cookie cake pan hack using aluminum foil, adjusting baking time as needed (likely a bit longer).
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Press the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. If the dough is a bit sticky, you can place another piece of parchment paper on top and use your hands or a flat bottomed glass to gently press it down evenly.
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Bake the cookie cake at 350°F (175°C) for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly browned. The key to a wonderfully soft and chewy sugar cookie cake is to remove it from the oven as soon as you notice the *tiniest* hint of brown around the perimeter. The very center may still look slightly underdone, but this is perfectly normal and desired; the residual heat from the hot pan will continue to bake the cake as it cools, ensuring a perfectly soft interior.
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Allow the cookie cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to frost it. For quicker cooling, you can transfer the pan to the refrigerator once it’s no longer piping hot.
To Make the Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter (½ cup, or 1 stick) on medium speed using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat for 1-2 minutes until the butter is light and creamy.
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Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in the vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), lemon extract (1 ½ teaspoons), a pinch of salt, and gradually the powdered sugar (2 cups). Once the ingredients are mostly incorporated, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes until the frosting is wonderfully light and fluffy. Stir in the fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon, optional but highly recommended) and beat for another 30 seconds. If desired, add a drop or two of yellow food coloring to achieve a brighter lemon hue.
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If your frosting appears too thick to spread or pipe easily, add an additional tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. (If you opted to omit the fresh lemon juice, you can use a splash of milk instead to thin the frosting to your desired consistency.)
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If you plan to decorate with sprinkles, add them immediately after frosting your cookie cake. If you wait too long, the buttercream will begin to set, and the sprinkles won’t adhere properly.
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Storage: If you won’t be eating the entire cake on the same day, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days for optimal freshness. This sugar cookie cake also freezes well for 1-2 months, though it’s generally best enjoyed fresh as freezing can sometimes affect the texture.
Last Step! Please, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review and rating after you’ve made this recipe! Your feedback is incredibly valuable, helping my small business grow and allowing me to continue sharing delicious, high-quality content and free recipes with you.
Chef’s Notes & Important Tips
- Storage: For best taste and texture, if you’re not planning to serve the entire lemon cookie cake immediately or within 3-4 hours, cover it securely with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. This giant sugar cookie cake also freezes wonderfully for 1-2 months, although any longer and you might find it starts to dry out.
- Baking Pan Options: If you don’t own a dedicated round cookie cake pan (which is an excellent investment for a great price!), you have other options. You can bake this recipe in a 9×13 inch pan for approximately 14-16 minutes. Alternatively, get creative and make a DIY cookie cake pan using aluminum foil for a similar shape.
- Effortless Layering & Removal: If your intention is to remove the cookie cake from its pan for serving on a decorative platter, or if you plan to create multiple layers, it is paramount to line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper. This step is your guarantee for a clean and intact removal. Remember to also lightly spray the pan with cooking spray in addition to the parchment paper, and critically, only attempt to remove the cake once it has completely cooled. This greatly minimizes the risk of breakage.
- Frosting Quantity: The frosting recipe provided yields enough lemon buttercream to pipe a lovely border around the edge of your cookie cake and add a small message or design in the center. If you desire to fully cover the entire surface with a thick layer of frosting or create more elaborate decorations, consider doubling the frosting recipe.
Nutrition Information
Carbohydrates: 28g |
Protein: 2g |
Fat: 12g |
Saturated Fat: 7g |
Cholesterol: 37mg |
Sodium: 54mg |
Potassium: 43mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 18g |
Vitamin A: 364IU |
Calcium: 18mg |
Iron: 1mg
We truly hope you enjoy making and sharing this vibrant **Lemon Cookie Cake**! If you give this recipe a try, please be sure to leave a comment below to let me know how you liked it. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat. I absolutely LOVE seeing your delicious creations!