Description
Delightful lemon sugar cookies bring zesty sunshine to classic treats. Buttery, tangy goodness melts in your mouth, offering pure baking bliss that whisks you to sweet, citrusy comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Flavor and Coating Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Zest from 3 lemons (2 lemons + 1 lemon)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Prepare baking workspace by lining two cookie sheets with parchment paper and warming the oven to 350°F.
- Craft the dry foundation by whisking flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a compact bowl, then set aside.
- Create a creamy butter base by vigorously beating softened butter with granulated sugar until the mixture transforms into a light, airy texture.
- Infuse moisture and flavor by incorporating lemon juice, vanilla extract, and egg into the butter mixture, blending until thoroughly combined.
- Enhance the citrus profile by gently folding freshly grated lemon zest into the wet ingredients.
- Gradually integrate the reserved dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring carefully to form a cohesive cookie dough.
- Develop a zesty coating by mixing remaining sugar with additional lemon zest in a separate small vessel.
- Shape the dough into uniform spheres using a cookie scoop, then roll each ball generously in the lemon-sugar mixture.
- Arrange cookie spheres on prepared sheets, maintaining consistent spacing to allow proper expansion during baking.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes, watching for subtle surface changes and emerging cracks that indicate perfect doneness.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for a brief cooling period before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Master the art of zesty, soft cookies by carefully handling the dough and avoiding overmixing.
- Ensure butter is perfectly softened at room temperature for optimal texture and even mixing.
- Grate fresh lemon zest directly onto sugar to maximize aromatic citrus oils and flavor intensity.
- Use a light touch when rolling cookies in lemon sugar to create a delicate, crackly exterior.
- Cool cookies completely on the baking sheet to maintain their tender, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to preserve freshness and taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg