Pink Lemonade Cookies: The Perfect Sweet and Tangy Summer Treat

Last summer, I was digging through my freezer looking for something to make for a barbecue when I found a forgotten can of pink lemonade concentrate. You know how it is – you buy it with good intentions, then it sits there forever. Well, that little can sparked an idea that turned into one of my family’s most requested cookies. These pink lemonade cookies are everything you want in a summer dessert: soft, chewy, perfectly sweet with just enough tang to make your taste buds dance.

I’ll be honest – my first attempt was a complete disaster. I added way too much lemonade concentrate and ended up with cookie dough that looked more like pink soup. But after a few tweaks (and maybe a few more failures), I figured out the perfect balance. Now these cookies disappear faster than I can make them, and I’ve had neighbors actually knock on my door asking for the recipe when they smell them baking.

Why You’ll Love These Pink Lemonade Cookies

These aren’t your typical sugar cookies. The pink lemonade concentrate gives them this incredible bright, citrusy flavor that’s both nostalgic and refreshing. They’re soft and tender with slightly crispy edges, and that beautiful pale pink color makes them absolutely irresistible. Plus, they’re made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

What I love most is how they capture that perfect summer afternoon feeling – you know, when you’re sitting on the porch with a glass of ice-cold lemonade, watching the kids play in the yard. These cookies taste like that moment, if that makes sense.

The texture is spot-on too. They stay soft for days (if they last that long), and they freeze beautifully. I always make a double batch now because my husband has been known to sneak them for breakfast with his coffee.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what goes into these magical little cookies:

For the Cookies:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 drops pink food coloring (optional)

For the Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1-2 drops pink food coloring (optional)

Ingredient Notes:

The pink lemonade concentrate is the star here – don’t try to substitute it with regular lemonade or fresh lemon juice. The concentrate has that perfect balance of sweet and tart that makes these cookies special. I always buy a couple extra cans when they’re on sale because I make these cookies year-round now.

For the butter, make sure it’s properly softened. I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush it in the microwave and ended up with melted butter that made my cookies spread too much. Room temperature butter should give slightly when you press it but still hold its shape.

The food coloring is totally optional, but I love how it gives the cookies that perfect pink lemonade color. Just a couple drops does the trick – you want them to look like a glass of pink lemonade, not a flamingo.

Let’s Make These Pink Lemonade Cookies

Step 1: Prep Your Kitchen Preheat your oven to 375°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Trust me on the parchment – it makes cleanup so much easier, and the cookies won’t stick.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside – we’ll need it in a minute.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with both sugars until it’s light and fluffy. This takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. Don’t rush this step – proper creaming is what gives these cookies their perfect texture.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the pink lemonade concentrate, vanilla, and food coloring if you’re using it. The mixture might look a little curdled at this point – don’t panic, that’s totally normal.

Step 5: Bring It All Together Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix – as soon as you don’t see any dry flour, stop. Overmixing leads to tough cookies, and nobody wants that.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them.

Step 7: Cool and Glaze Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. While they’re cooling, whisk together your glaze ingredients until smooth. Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle or spread the glaze on top.

Tips from My Kitchen

Don’t Overbake: This is the mistake I see most people make with soft cookies. They look underdone when they’re actually perfect. The centers should still be soft when you take them out – they’ll firm up as they cool.

Chill the Dough: If your kitchen is warm or your dough seems too soft, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. This helps prevent spreading.

Glaze Consistency: If your glaze is too thick, add lemonade concentrate one teaspoon at a time. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. You want it to drizzle nicely but not run off the cookies.

Storage Secret: Store these in an airtight container with a piece of bread. The bread keeps them soft and fresh for up to a week. I learned this trick from my grandmother, and it works like magic.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

These pink lemonade cookies are perfect on their own, but they’re also amazing with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I love serving them at summer gatherings because they’re such a conversation starter – everyone wants to know what makes them taste so good.

Fun Variations to Try:

Lemon Lime: Use limeade concentrate instead for a different citrus twist
Orange Cream: Swap the pink lemonade for orange juice concentrate and add a teaspoon of orange zest
Extra Tangy: Add a tablespoon of lemon zest to the dough for more citrus punch

How to Store and Freeze

These cookies keep beautifully. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. They thaw perfectly at room temperature.

You can also freeze the cookie dough! Just scoop it into balls, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.

There’s something magical about these pink lemonade cookies. Maybe it’s the way they transport you to lazy summer afternoons, or how they make everyone smile when they see that pretty pink color. Whatever it is, they’ve become a staple in my kitchen, and I have a feeling they’ll become one in yours too.

The combination of sweet and tart, soft and slightly crispy, familiar yet surprising – it all comes together in these little circles of happiness. And honestly, after all the cookie recipes I’ve tried over the years, these might just be my favorite. They’re proof that sometimes the best ideas come from happy accidents and forgotten ingredients lurking in your freezer.

So grab that can of pink lemonade concentrate, preheat your oven, and get ready to make some magic happen in your kitchen. Your family (and your neighbors) will thank you.