Homemade Lemon Cookies
This is a splendidly flavorful, inviting cookie that’s bright and cheery during the blistery winter season, yet it’s also a cookie fit for those warm summer months where you’ll find them reminiscent of a refreshing summer lemonade.
They are fun to finish by decorating them how you like, you can drizzle icing in zigzag patterns over the top or take a spoonful and make a simple circle atop them. And no one said sprinkles are wrong either. However you finish them just don’t leave the icing off, it’s critical to the abundant lemony flavor of the cookie (as this portion of the cookie calls for the most lemon juice).
If you like a more noticeably yellow cookie simply add a little natural yellow food coloring to the dough to mimic the hues of those sunny lemon peels. It won’t affect the taste but I think we tend to eat with our eyes first so a little yellow addition is a nice touch if you have it.
Lemon Cookies Recipe Ingredients
All purpose flour: A critical ingredient that builds the base of the cookie. I use unbleached all-purpose flour.
Baking powder and baking soda: The combination of the two makes them spread less and creates a puffier cookie.
Salt: This balances the sweetness of the cookie.
Granulated sugar: What would cookies be without the sugar? It adds sweetness while also improving texture of the cookies.
Unsalted butter: Salted butter will work as well just omit the salt from the recipe.Lemons: You use both the lemon zest and lemon juice for the recipe. Zest before cutting and juicing.
Vanilla extract: This is compliments the lemon flavor.
Powdered sugar: This super fine sugar creates a smooth, sweet finish for the cookies.
How to Make Lemon Cookies
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Cream sugar, butter and zest: In a separate large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer blend together granulated sugar, butter and lemon zest until combined then increase speed to high and whip for about 1 minute until it’s slightly pale and fluffy.
Add eggs and flavoring: Mix in egg and egg yolk, then blend in 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and the vanilla extract (mixture may look a little separated because of the acidity that’s okay).