1. Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Baking Sheets

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and ensure they bake evenly.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for now.

3. Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar. You can use an electric mixer or just beat it by hand with a wooden spoon. Beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy. This step is important because it will help give your cookies that soft, chewy texture.

4. Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well until everything is fully incorporated. The lemon zest and juice are what give these cookies their signature refreshing flavor!

5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—this can make your cookies tough. The dough should be soft but not too sticky. If it feels a little sticky, don’t worry! Just chill it for about 15 minutes in the fridge to make it easier to handle.

6. Roll the Cookie Dough

Once the dough has chilled, roll it into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to give them a nice sugary coating before placing them onto your prepared baking sheets. Be sure to leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie since they’ll spread a little while baking.

7. Bake the Cookies

Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The center will still look a little soft, but that’s okay! They’ll firm up as they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Make the Lemon Frosting

While the cookies are cooling, it’s time to make the lemon frosting. In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Use a hand mixer or a whisk to beat the mixture until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a little heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. You want it to be thick enough to hold its shape but soft enough to spread easily on the cookies.

9. Frost the Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread a generous layer of frosting on top of each one. I love to use a small offset spatula for this, but you can also use the back of a spoon.