Italian Lemon Drop Cookies
Last Updated on February 14, 2026 by Kiersten James
Soft, bakery-style Italian lemon drop cookies made with fresh lemon zest and a classic white glaze. A traditional Italian Christmas cookie.
If you grew up on Long Island, you probably know these cookies without knowing their name. They’re the soft lemon ones that show up on Italian bakery trays every December, usually next to the sprinkle cookies and butter cookies.
Bakeries around here will sometimes call them anise cookies, but that can be really misleading. The strong flavor that comes through both the dough and glaze is lemon, not licorice.
For anyone who didn’t grow up around Italian bakeries, these are what most locals call Italian lemon drop cookies. They’re not crisp or crumbly. The texture is soft and cake-like, with a simple lemon glaze on top.
This recipe does add a small amount of anise oil for depth, but it stays in the background. A lotof people wouldn’t even notice the taste unless you pointed it out to them – lemon is the point.
Why You’ll Love These Italian Lemon Drop Cookies
- The dough is made in a food processor
- They stay soft for days
- The lemon flavor is real and noticeable
- No chilling required!
- Perfect for cookie trays, holidays, and gifting
Quick Allergy Check!
For my beloved friends who have different dietary needs, I see you and want you to feel safe.
These Italian lemon drop cookies contain the following allergens:
- Eggs
- Gluten
- Dairy
Ingredients You’ll Be Using:
All-purpose flour: Gives structure while keeping the crumb soft and tender.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens without overpowering the lemon.
Baking powder: Creates the puffed, cracked tops that define drop cookies.
Unsalted butter + Crisco (vegetable shortening): Using both helps the cookies stay soft and stable instead of spreading or turning crumbly.
Eggs: Provide structure and a light, cake-like interior.
Fresh lemon zest + lemon juice: This is where the flavor comes from. Zest is essential.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out the lemon so it tastes bright, not sharp.
Anise extract (optional): A small amount is used for depth. It does not make the cookies taste like licorice. Leave it out if you prefer a pure lemon cookie.
Confectioners’ sugar: Creates the classic white bakery glaze.
Tips for the Best Italian Lemon Drop Cookies Ever
These are not crisp cookies
Be very careful not to overbake! These cookies are meant to be very pale and soft. If they take on much color, they’ve gone too far and will dry out as they cool.
Lemon flavor comes from the zest
The zest is what gives these cookies real lemon flavor. Bottled juice alone won’t deliver the same result, even if you increase the amount.
Anise is optional (really)
Some regional NY Italian bakeries use a small amount of anise for depth. I also use it in this recipe, but it’s not the dominant flavor.
Use it if it is familiar to you. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t like it or prefer a clean lemon cookie.
Glaze only when fully cool
The cookies need to be completely cool before glazing, or the glaze will melt and soak right in. When applied at the right time, it sets on top and gives that classic bakery finish.
How to Make Italian Lemon Drop Cookies
Equipment I Use:
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 4 tablespoons Crisco (vegetable shortening), cubed and chilled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon anise extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Glaze:
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon anise extract (optional)
- Rainbow colored nonpareils, for garnish
Overview:
Cube the butter and shortening: Cut the butter and shortening into 1″ cubes and put them in a bowl in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
Set up your oven: Move the racks to the middle and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats.
Process the dry ingredients: Using a food processor, pulse the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt a few times to blend.
Add the fat: Add the cold butter/shortening mixture across the top of the flour mixture in the processor bowl. Pulse for about 20 to 30 seconds until a sandy texture forms.
Combine ingredients: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, anise extract (if using), and lemon zest. Process the ingredients for about 30 seconds until a cohesive dough forms.
A 1-tablespoon cookie scoop makes the next step less messy and produces uniform cookies that are nearly exact in size. If you don’t have one, no sweat, a tablespoon and your hands are perfectly fine!
Form the dough into balls and place about 2 inches apart on a lined cookie sheet.
Bake & Rest: Bake the cookies at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through baking. They will look puffy with cracked tops and very light brown bottoms. Do not overbake.
Allow the cookies to rest undisturbed on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack after that time and allow to cool completely.
Prepare the glaze: While the cookies are cooling, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of anise extract. It will form a very thick glaze and should not be thin like icing.
Decorate the cookies: When completely cool, add about a teaspoon of glaze to each cookie and spread in a spiral fashion to coat the top of the cookie. An angled offset spatula makes this easier to do.
Immediately sprinkle nonpareils on top; you won’t be able to add sprinkles once the glaze sets.
Storage & Freezing
You can freeze the cookies before glazing for up to two months without any issue. Let them thaw at room temperature and glaze them after – the texture is much better that way.
Once glazed, keep them at room temperature in a sealed container for a few days. Don’t refrigerate. It will dry the cookies and change the texture.
Italian Lemon Drop Cookies
Soft, bakery-style Italian lemon drop cookies made with fresh lemon zest and a classic white glaze. A traditional Italian Christmas cookie.
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 4 tablespoons Crisco (vegetable shortening), cubed and chilled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon anise extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Glaze:
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon anise extract (optional)
- Rainbow colored nonpareils, for garnish
Instructions
Cube the butter and shortening: Cut the butter and shortening into 1" cubes and put them in a bowl in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
Set up your oven: Move the racks to the center and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats.
Process the dry ingredients: Using a food processor, pulse the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt a few times to blend.
Add the fat: Add the cold butter/shortening mixture across the top of the flour mixture in the processor bowl. Pulse for about 20 to 30 seconds until a sandy texture forms.
Combine ingredients: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, anise extract (if using), and lemon zest. Process the ingredients for about 30 seconds until a cohesive dough forms.
A 1-tablespoon cookie scoop makes the next step less messy and produces uniform cookies that are nearly exact in size. If you don't have one, no sweat, a tablespoon and your hands are perfectly fine!
Form the dough into balls and place about 2 inches apart on a lined cookie sheet.
Bake & Rest: Bake the cookies at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through baking. They will look puffy with cracked tops and very light brown bottoms. Do not overbake.
Allow the cookies to rest undisturbed on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack after that time and allow to cool completely.
Prepare the glaze: While the cookies are cooling, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of anise extract. It will form a very thick glaze and should not be thin like icing.
Decorate the cookies: When completely cool, add about a teaspoon of glaze to each cookie and spread in a spiral fashion to coat the top of the cookie. An angled offset spatula makes this easier to do.
Immediately sprinkle nonpareils on top; you won't be able to add sprinkles once the glaze sets.
Storage & Freezing
You can freeze the cookies before glazing for up to two months without any issue. Let them thaw at room temperature and glaze them after - the texture is much better that way.
Once glazed, keep them at room temperature in a sealed container for a few days. Don't refrigerate. It will dry the cookies and change the texture.
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