These Lemon Birthday Cake Cookies are soft, frosted scratch lemon sugar cookies made with sour cream and fresh lemon zest for bright flavor and a tender bite. Topped with creamy lemon frosting and rainbow sprinkles, this easy cookie recipe is perfect for birthdays, lunchboxes, after-school snacks and parties.
Here are the ingredients needed to make homemade Lemon Birthday Cake Cookies.
Sour Cream: Adding moisture and a slight tang, sour cream helps give these lemon sugar cookies their tender, slightly tart flavor.
Butter: This adds rich flavor and helps keep both the cookies soft and frosting creamy.
All-Purpose Flour: It has just the right amount of protein to give the dough structure, so the cookies hold their shape.
Sprinkles: They add color, crunch, and the fun birthday-cake look inside the dough and on top of the frosted cookies.
Lemon Juice and Zest: These add bright citrus flavor to the cookie and frosting for a fresh, tangy finish.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
Follow these simple steps and tips for making homemade Lemon Birthday Cake Cookies.
When preparing the dough, be sure to accurately measure the flour and mix just until a soft dough forms, so the cookies stay tender. Then, stir in the sprinkles.
Keep the size of dough balls consistent, so the cookies bake evenly. Place them at least 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets to prevent spreading together, and flatten them before baking for the perfect shape and texture.
Bake the cookies until they are set. Then, cool them completely before frosting, so the topping stays smooth and doesn’t melt.
Prepare the frosting, beating until smooth. Then, spread on each cooled cookie, and top with sprinkles. Let the finished cookies stand until the frosting is set before storing or stacking.
Here’s the best way to store these homemade cookies to enjoy later.
Store cookies in a single layer in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Place the cookies in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe food storage container for 2 to 3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature in the storage container for 1 to 2 hours.
In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, sour cream, and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add egg and 1 tablespoon lemon zest; continue beating until well blended. Add remaining cookie ingredients except sprinkles; mix until soft dough forms. Stir in 1/4 cup sprinkles.
Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls (dough will be soft). Place dough balls at least 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using fingers, flatten balls to 1/2-inch thickness.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes; remove from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack. Cool cookies completely, about 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, beat all Frosting ingredients, except sprinkles, until smooth. Spread each cookie with a scant tablespoon of frosting. Top cookies with sprinkles.
When purchasing ingredients for this recipe, you'll need about 2 large lemons to get enough zest for the cookies and frosting.
| Food Component / Nutrient | Amount | % , Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 27% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2&½g | % Value Not Available |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Omega-3 | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Cholesterol | 30mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 160mg | 7% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 28g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Soluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Insoluble Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Sugars | 18g | % Value Not Available |
| Protein | 1g | % Value Not Available |
| Vitamin D | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Calcium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Iron | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Potassium | 25mg | 1% |
| Vitamin A | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Vitamin C | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Vitamin E | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Thiamin | Value Not Available | 6% |
| Riboflavin | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Niacin | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Folic Acid | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Vitamin B12 | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Pantothenic Acid | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Phosphorus | Value Not Available | 2% |
| Magnesium | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Zinc | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Manganese | Value Not Available | 4% |
| Selenium | Value Not Available | 8% |
| Copper | Value Not Available | 0% |
| Beta-Carotene | Value Not Available | % Value Not Available |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | ||
