Lychee Rose Sugar Cookies (Soft Floral Bakery-Style Cookies)
These lychee rose sugar cookies are soft, tender, and delicately flavored with sweet lychee and fragrant rose water. The cookies bake up pale with lightly crisp edges and soft centers, making them perfect for tea parties, spring desserts, and elegant cookie trays. Made with a concentrated lychee reduction and a touch of rose, this easy recipe creates beautifully balanced floral sugar cookies with a subtle fruity finish.
Servings 18 cookies
Calories 170kcal
Cost $8 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon)
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Lychee Reduction
- ½ cup canned lychee syrup or blended lychee
- Reduce it to 2 teaspoons cooled
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups 280 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup 170 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons lychee reduction
- ⅛ teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Lychee Reduction
- Simmer lychee syrup or blended lychee over medium heat until thick and reduced. Cool completely before using.
Prepare Dry Ingredients
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar
- Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add Wet Ingredients
- Mix in egg, 2 teaspoons of the lychee reduction, rose water, and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
Combine Dough
- Add dry ingredients gradually and mix until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
Chill Dough
- Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
Scoop Cookies
- Roll dough into 1.5 tablespoon balls and place on lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten tops.
Bake
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–11 minutes until edges are set and centers remain soft.
Cool
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For the best lychee flavor, use canned lychee syrup or blended canned lychees reduced until thick. This concentrates the fruity flavor without adding excess moisture.
- Rose water is very strong, so measure carefully. A small amount adds a delicate floral aroma without overpowering the cookies.
- Chill the dough before baking to prevent spreading and keep the cookies soft and thick.
- These lychee rose sugar cookies should remain pale when baked. Avoid overbaking to maintain a tender, soft texture.
- Add a tiny drop of pink food coloring for a bakery-style look that highlights the rose flavor.
- For stronger flavor, top cookies with a light rose glaze or lychee glaze after cooling.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and fresh.
- This dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking.