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Lemon Scented Sugar Cookies

Close your eyes and just imagine the delicate fragrance of the zest coming off a fresh lemon. Capture that essence and tuck it inside a light buttery sugar cookie, gently glistening with tiny sugar crystals baked on top. 
Cook Time 12 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 5 dozen cookies

Equipment

  • Electric mixer
  • Baking sheets lined with Silpat liners or parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 1-½ cups sugar, plus extra for dusting the cookies
  • 2 extra-large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
  • Zest from 1 lemon, about 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2-½ cups flour, plus about ¼ cup extra for pressing the cookies
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
  • Cream the butter into the shortening using medium speed until blended together, about 1 minute.
  • Slowly beat the sugar into the butter and shortening, adding about ½ cup at a time on medium speed.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating them into the butter and sugar mixture on low speed.
  • Stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts along with the lemon zest and juice.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture into the batter, about ½ cup at a time.
  • Drop the cookie dough by rounded teaspoons onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat liner or parchment paper, leaving about 3” between cookies. A small (about 1” diameter) ice cream scoop works really well for this.
  • Place about ¼ cup flour into a small bowl. Press the cookies with the tines of a fork, in a crisscross pattern. Dust the fork in the extra flour as you go to prevent it from sticking to the cookies.
  • Sprinkle the extra sugar across the tops of the cookies, about ¼ teaspoon on each.
  • Bake in a 375-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes just until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the bottoms.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.