In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar with a mixer until smooth; beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon extract.
½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ½ cup salted butter, softened, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 teaspoons lemon extract
Mix in dry ingredients.
Drop onto ungreased cookie sheets by rounded teaspoon.
Bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes on cookie sheet before transporting to wire racks.
For the icing:
Once the cookies are completely cooled, sift the confectioner's sugar into a large bowl.
3 cups confectioner's sugar
Add in the lemon juice and egg whites and mix with an electric mixer on low speed for about 5 minutes.
2 eggs, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dye as many colors of icing as desired for decoration, then spoon or drizzle the icing on to the cookies. The icing will harden as it sits.
Food coloring
Video
Notes
To easily and quickly soften the butter, fill a large heat-safe glass bowl with very hot water. Then pour out the water and place the bowl upside down over the butter. Let sit for 5 minutes or so. Repeat if needed.
Mix in white chocolate chips to make these cookies extra special.
Add 2 tablespoons of lemon zest to the dough for more lemony zing!