These Lemon Cookies are perfect for lemon lovers! These fluffy cookies are made with lemon cake mix, lemon pudding mix, and topped with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze.
Lemon lovers, these lemon cookies are for YOU. When I want a lemon dessert, I want the lemon flavor to really pack a punch. Today’s recipe is loaded with lemon cake mix, lemon pudding mix, AND a lemon glaze — you definitely won’t be missing the lemon in these cookies!
Ingredients
We’re using both lemon cake mix AND lemon pudding mix for ultra lemon-y cookies!
- Lemon Cake Mix – the base for our cookies. This is the ultimate cookie shortcut and it’s delicious! Cake mix creates a super soft and fluffy cookie.
- Instant Lemon Pudding Mix – adds more lemon flavor and helps keep the cookies nice and soft.
- Unsalted Butter – adds moisture and a rich, buttery flavor.
- Eggs – helps bind all the ingredients together.
- Powdered Sugar, Lemon Juice, and Unsalted Butter – makes up a sweet and tangy lemon glaze to top off the cookies!
How to make
This lemon cookie recipe is as easy as it gets — 10 minutes of prep!
- Place cake mix, pudding mix, butter, and eggs into a large bowl and use a hand-mixer to combine. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion out 8 cookies onto two baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats (for 16 cookies total.)
- Bake for 10-15 minutes then let cook on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- As the cookies cool, mix together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and butter for the glaze.
- When the cookies have cooled completely, top each with 1 tablespoon of the glaze then serve and enjoy!
Do you need to chill the dough?
Yes! Chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping and baking. This ensures that the cookies hold their shape. If the dough isn’t chilled, the cookies are more likely to spread.
Why is there pudding mix in lemon cookies?
Instant pudding mix is made up of pre-gelatinized starch which helps the cookies hold their shape, prevents them from becoming too dense, and keeps them ultra soft. It also adds additional flavor.
What frosting to use
For this lemon cookie recipe, we’re whipping up a sweet and tangy lemon glaze to top off the cookies. To make the glaze:
- Place powdered sugar, lemon juice, and softened butter in a bowl.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Spread over cooled cookies.
- Let glaze set before enjoying!
Variations
- Use a different frosting. Try frosting instead of glaze. Vanilla frosting or coconut cream cheese frosting would both be delicious!
- Add some texture. Try mixing in white chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or both.
- Make it more lemon-y. Enhance the lemon flavor even more by adding a sprinkle of lemon zest or a dash of lemon extract.
How to store
Leftover cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To enjoy again, thaw in the fridge, if frozen, then enjoy cold, room temperature, or microwave or bake to warm, if desired!
– Jennifer
Love lemon-y desserts? Try my Summer shandy lemon bars, these lemon lava cakes, or these coconut lemon sweet rolls!

Lemon Cookies
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
- 1 (15.25 oz) box lemon cake mix
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant lemon pudding mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (1/2 cup = 1 stick)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
Lemon Cookies
- Place dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, butter, and eggs into a large bowl.
- Use a hand mixer and mix until well combined.
- Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop 8 cookies (you’ll make 16 total) onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving room for the cookies to spread.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. They may not look quite done, but they continue cooking and firm up as they cool.
- Remove from oven, cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove cookies and place onto a wire baking rack to continue cooling.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
- Cool completely before adding the glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- Place powdered sugar, lemon juice, and butter into a medium sized bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth.
- Top each cooled cookie with 1 tablespoon glaze.
- Use the back of a spoon to evenly spread out the glaze.
- Let stand until the glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
- Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
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