This copycat for Savannah Smiles is a must-try! The sugar dusted lemon cookies are bite sized, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness that taste almost identical to the discontinued girl scout cookie.
We’re obsessed with Girl Scout cookies. Be sure to try our homemade Thin Mints and Samoa Cookies!
Recipe Features
- Quick and Easy: These come together in minutes and are out of the oven in 10.
- Freezer Friendly: Make the dough and keep it in the freezer for a quick sweet fix.
Lemon shortbread cookies are my all-time favorite Girl Scout cookie. I would buy box upon box of the Savannah Smiles and was absolutely devastated when I found out they were discontinued. It became my mission to recreate the recipe so I could make them at home, and boy am I glad I did. These are beyond simple to make and one batch makes over 50 cookies!
In case you aren’t familiar, Savannah Smiles, or the Girl Scout lemon cookies recipe, was a shortbread based cookie that was filled with lemon flavor. Shaped into a half circle, or smile, and rolled in powdered sugar after baking. It is dreamy for any citrus lover. This lemon shortbread recipe checks all of those boxes making it the ULTIMATE copycat.
Lemon Shortbread Ingredients
The secret to these lemon shortbread cookies is fresh lemon! You need to use both the zest and the juice to help get that bold citrus flavor. Let’s breakdown some of the other ingredients before we dive in:
- Butter: Let your butter sit at room temperature for around 20 to 30 minutes before starting. This will help soften it just enough to mix well with the other ingredients.
- Powdered Sugar: Yes, you read that correct. Powdered sugar replaces granulated for these cookies. This helps give you that melt-in-your-mouth cookie texture.
- Extracts: Vanilla extract and possibly lemon, depending how strong of a lemon flavor you want in your cookie.
- Lemon: Zest and juice. This is where the citrus flavor comes from. Don’t skip either of these ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour and salt: The structure of your cookie along with a helpful flavor aid.
How to Make Girl Scout Savannah Smiles
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line two baking trays with parchment or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Combine the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, for 1 to 2 minutes at medium speed, or until fully combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lemon juice, zest, and extracts.
- Mix for an additional 30 seconds to combine.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in the flour.
- Mix until the dough forms.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of dough, roll into a circle, and flatten with your fingers to 1/2 inch thick round.
- Cut in half to create the “smile” shape.
- Place on your baking tray and continue with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom of the cookie.
- Cool the lemon shortbread biscuits 10 minutes then roll in remaining powdered sugar.
Cookie Tips and FAQs
Keep your lemon shortbread cookies recipe stored in an airtight container for up to one month. Although, we eat them all within a few days. You can also keep these in the freezer for up to two months.
Yes. The dough can be made up to three days in advance. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and keep stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Once ready, let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Follow the baking directions from there.
If you find that your dough is too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional flour.
If the dough is not holding together well, try adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Want an even bolder lemon flavor? Add 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
More Lemon Recipes
- Easy Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Candied Lemon Slices
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade
- Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes
- Oreo Lemon Truffles
- Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Easy Lemon Bars
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Copycat Savannah Smiles Cookie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup cup powdered sugar divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1½ cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line two baking trays with parchment or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Combine the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, for 1 to 2 minutes at medium speed, or until fully combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lemon juice, zest, and extracts.
- Mix for an additional 30 seconds to combine.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in the flour.
- Mix until the dough forms.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of dough, roll into a circle, and flatten with your fingers to 1/2 inch thick round.
- Cut in half to create the “smile” shape.
- Place on your baking tray and continue with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom of the cookie.
- Cool the lemon shortbread biscuits 10 minutes then roll in remaining powdered sugar.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Will says
I haven’t made these, YET, but I can’t believe someone remembered these delicious lemon flavored shortbread cookies. They were my favorite and I was so sad when they discontinued them. I WILL be making them again and again!
Jesseca says
Thank you, will! These are truly my all-time favorites. I was so bummed when they were discontinued. This recipe definitely hits the spot.
Alisha says
Made these last night & they are DELICIOUS! Yes an all caps delicious! I used fresh lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice & added an extra tablespoon of lemon juice because ya can’t go wrong with more lemon. I can’t believe they discontinued the Savannah Smiles but now I have this recipe. If you haven’t tried this one yet, do it!
Jesseca says
Thank you, Alisha! I felt the same way and was devastated when they discontinued these cookies. I’m so glad you love the recipe as much as I do!
Brittney says
These were really crumbly. Like melt in your mouth. I was nervous because there was no Leavening agent like baking powder or eggs. I might make them again in the future with an egg to see if it makes them less crumbly. They don’t hold together too well once bitten into. Also the lemon flavor wasn’t what I wanted but perhaps it was the juice I used. I opted for a concentrate because I didn’t have lemons on hand. It’s a good cookie though. Just didn’t meet the mark for my hubby whose favorite is savanah smiles.
Jesseca says
Hi Brittany, thank you for taking the time to rate and review the recipe. I love getting feedback. This is a classic shortbread cookie, which is naturally more melt in your mouth crumbly and meant to be less moist, so I can see where you’re coming from. If you want it a tad less “dry” you can add a teaspoon or two of water. I hope you try it with fresh lemon juice. It makes a difference.
Moe says
My favorite part of Savanah Smiles is the lemon flavored powder sugar that they are rolled in. This recipe uses plain/unflavored powder sugar. Please help me find out how to flavor the powdered sugar. Thank you.
Jesseca says
You’ll be surprised how delicious these are. You can’t tell it’s plain powdered sugar and tastes very similar to the real deal.
Sachet L. says
Mixing lemon powder and powdered sugar may do the trick! I can’t wait to try it.
Jesseca says
If you opt for this… I’d try lemon zest. If you mix lemon juice with powdered sugar it will dissolve into a paste or glaze… Which isn’t quite the same. Have you tried the recipe as is?
Ann Smith says
I put a slice of lemon peel (without the pith) in the bowl of powdered sugar and it smells amazing.
Jesseca says
What a fun idea! You definitely can add lemon zest to the sugar and mix until combined. It’s a great way to add a little extra citrus to the recipe.
Kailah says
So good! I made these with 2 tbsp of lemon juice and with lemon extract (one can never have too much lemon) also gave to bunch of my friends and they loved it!
Jesseca says
Yay! I’m so glad you loved the recipe! It is truly one of my favorite girl scout cookies and the copycat is top requested in our home. You cannot beat that lemon flavor!