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–+ servings
Close view of Lemon Half Moon Cookies with a bite.

Lemon Half Moon Cookies

The classic New York City cookie with a blast of citrusy lemon flavor. Soft baked cookies with a cake-like texture, topped with the classic frosting of half vanilla and half lemon! These cookies are light and airy and packed with mouth puckering lemon flavor!
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
cooling 1 hour
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Half Moon Cookies

  • 1 ¾ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup salted butter (very soft)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • zest of one lemon

Vanilla Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Lemon Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 4-5 drops yellow food coloring

Instructions
 

Cookies

  • In a large bowl, add your butter and sugar. Mix with a spatula until combined and smooth. Add your egg, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix until combined.
  • In the same bowl, sift together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sifting about half of this mixture into the bowl. Mix until evenly combined.
  • Add about half of your sour cream to the bowl and mix until combined. Sift the remainder of your flour mixture into the bowl and mix until combined. Add the remaining sour cream and mix until combined.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop out your cookies and place them on your prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Dunk you fingers in water and then smooth out the tops of your cookie balls. DO NOT FLATTEN THEM.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
  • Let cool completely.

Vanilla Frosting

  • In a medium bowl, combine your powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, and corn syrup. Mix until combined.

Lemon Frosting

  • In a medium bowl, combine your powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, lemon juice, and corn syrup. Mix until combined. Add your food coloring and mix until color is even.

Frost your cookies

  • You will be frosting the bottoms of these cookies! Flip your cookies over and start frosting on the flat side. Using a spatula, frost half of each cookie with the vanilla frosting and then frost the other half with the lemon frosting.
  • Let the frosting set/harden completely (about 1 hour). Enjoy!
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