Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies – Recipe!

I love sugar cookies and these soft lemony ones are no exception.  Yes, it’s citrus season and better yet, lemon season, so it’s time to utilize all that juice and zest.  Brightly hued vibrant Meyer lemons are what I grow in my yard, but there are several other varieties that create great flavor.  The thing about Meyer lemons is that the skin is thin, and the citrus taste is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, so they’re sweeter.  If you can’t find them, use what’s in your area, or find a California friend to send you some.

The basic ingredients of a sugar cookie are butter, sugar, egg and flour.  The flavor enhancer in this recipe is lemon zest, juice and a touch of lemon extract for an additional kick of lemony goodness.  When you go to buy an extract, it’s worth spending a few more dollars because you want the lemon to taste natural, not artificial.  I have a bottle in my pantry that does a pretty nice job and I think it’s worth the investment.  You don’t want to skip this ingredient and add more lemon juice as a substitute because more juice will make the dough runny and not hold together properly.  Don’t worry you will use the extract in more than this recipe.  It does wonders in all kinds of lemon desserts like cakes, lemon pie, bars and cheesecake.

The soft chew of these cookies make them so special and if you’re a lemon lover, or have a lemon lover in your family, you just got bonus points for baking these up!  They will last in your cookie jar for a few days – that’s if no one gobbles them up too quickly.  They make a great dunking cookie in a glass of milk or cup of hot tea, and they pack pretty nicely in lunches too.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/3 cup more for dipping cookies

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

(Makes about a baker’s dozen or 13)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together butter and 3/4 cup sugar for 2 minutes.  Scrape down sides of bowl and add zest, lemon juice and extract.  Mix for 1 minute.
2. Add egg and mix for 2 minutes on high speed until creamed together.  Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low for 30 seconds.  Remove from stand and mix by hand until combined.  Place plastic wrap over top and refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
3. Remove and scoop into balls.  Roll balls in sugar and place on parchment lined sheet pan.  Bake for 12 minutes.
4. Remove and cool for 8 minutes before removing from pan.  Cool completely before storing.  Enjoy!