Description
Classic lemon cookies blend zesty citrus with buttery sweetness, creating a nostalgic treat perfect for afternoon tea. Home bakers can easily craft these delightful cookies with simple ingredients and enjoy their refreshing homemade charm.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (52 g) egg
- 1 (53 g) egg
- 110 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 22 g (1 ½ tbsps) unsalted butter
- 200 g (1 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
- 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
- 45 g (3 tbsps) fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest from ¾ of a lemon
- Lemon peel from ¼ lemon (yellow peel only)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 4 g (1 tsp) cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- Granulated white sugar for coating
Instructions
- Cream Mixture: Blend softened butter, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookie dough.
- Egg Integration: Whisk in the room-temperature egg until the mixture becomes uniform and silky, developing a rich, consistent texture.
- Dough Formation: Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into the wet ingredients, gently folding until a soft, pliable dough forms without overworking the mixture.
- Chill and Prepare: Refrigerate the dough for 20-25 minutes while simultaneously freezing small lemon curd portions on a parchment-lined tray until solid.
- Shaping Cookies: Scoop chilled dough into uniform balls, creating a central depression and inserting a frozen lemon curd dollop, then carefully encase the filling completely.
- Coating and Arrangement: Roll each filled dough ball in granulated sugar, ensuring full coverage, and place on a lined baking sheet with adequate spacing.
- Baking Process: Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F (180°C) with fan setting, then bake for 8-9 minutes until edges turn a delicate golden-brown.
- Cooling and Finishing: Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking tray, which helps them set and develop an ideal crisp-yet-tender texture.
Notes
- Chill Dough Smartly: Refrigerate for 20-25 minutes to enhance flavor complexity and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Handle Lemon Curd Carefully: Freeze small dollops beforehand to create a stable, centered filling that won’t leak during baking.
- Sugar Coating Technique: Roll cookies completely in granulated sugar for a delightful crisp exterior and added sweetness.
- Cooling is Crucial: Let cookies cool entirely on the baking tray to ensure proper texture development and structural integrity.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 156
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg