Ingredients
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon flavoring (or 1 tsp each lemon flavoring and vanilla bean paste)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
For Rolling and Garnishing
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Additional lemon zest (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter Mixture: Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. For extra lemon flavor, rub the lemon zest and sugars together between your fingertips before adding.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Incorporate the whole egg, egg yolk, and lemon flavoring (or lemon flavoring and vanilla bean paste) into the mixture, continuing to mix well until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In a mound, add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt over the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl.
- Activate the Baking Soda: Pour the lemon juice on top of the baking soda; it will foam, indicating activation. This helps create the soft texture.
- Mix the Dough: Gently mix just until all ingredients are combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
- Shape the Dough: Either refrigerate the dough as is or scoop and roll dough into balls about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size.
- Refrigerate: Chill the dough or dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to develop flavor and maintain shape.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) while the dough is chilling.
- Roll Cookies in Sugar: Pour ¼ cup granulated sugar into a bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar until fully coated.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place 6 to 8 cookie balls spaced evenly on each tray to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to overbake; the cookies should remain very soft and chewy.
- Shape Cookies: When cookies come out warm from the oven, swirl the baking sheet gently in a circular motion to help the cookies form perfect circles.
- Cooling: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will look puffy initially but will settle as they cool.
- Garnish: Sprinkle more granulated sugar and optionally some extra lemon zest on top of the cooled cookies for a sparkling finish.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough is essential for flavor development and helps prevent cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be soft when removed from the oven.
- You can substitute lemon flavoring with fresh lemon extract or combine with a small amount of vanilla bean paste for added depth.
- For more intense lemon flavor, freshly zest and juice organic lemons just before making the cookies.
- If you prefer, use a cookie scoop to get uniformly sized dough balls for even baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
