Start by grating your fresh lemon zest—you'll need 3 tablespoons total (2 tsp for the coating, 1 tbsp for the dough). Separate these into two small bowls to keep them organized. In one bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar with 2 tsp lemon zest to create your coating mixture; set aside. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350°F. Having everything prepped and ready ensures smooth mixing and baking without interruptions.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1.5 cups sugar together for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and noticeably lighter in color. This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies rise and develop a tender crumb. Add the remaining 1 tbsp lemon zest during this step to fully distribute the citrus flavor throughout the butter mixture.

Add the room-temperature egg, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract to your creamed butter mixture from Step 2. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until everything is fully combined and the mixture looks smooth and homogeneous. Room-temperature ingredients emulsify better, creating a more cohesive dough. I like to add the lemon juice gradually while mixing—this helps it incorporate evenly rather than sitting on top of the batter.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This pre-mixing ensures even distribution of leavening agents and salt throughout the dough, preventing any pockets of baking soda that could create bitter spots. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients from Step 3 and mix on low speed just until combined—don't overmix, as this can develop gluten and make the cookies tough instead of tender.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into evenly-sized balls and place them on your parchment-lined baking sheets. Working with a few cookies at a time, roll each dough ball in the lemon sugar coating from Step 1, pressing gently so the sugar adheres. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet to allow for slight spreading during baking. I find rolling the dough balls in the coating while they're still slightly cold (about 10 minutes in the fridge) helps the sugar stick better.

Bake the cookies in your preheated 350°F oven for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underbaked and soft—they should be pale golden, not dark brown. The cookies will continue cooking slightly on the hot baking sheet after removal from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This prevents them from becoming too dense or hard.