Description
Crisp lemon slice-and-bake cookies offer a zesty, delightful treat with buttery shortbread charm. Mediterranean sunshine meets classic baking tradition in this simple, elegant dessert recipe you’ll savor with pure pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
- 280 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 130 g (½ cup and 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 105 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 30 g (2 tbsps) lemon juice
- 18 g (2 tbsps packed or ¼ cup) lemon zest
Instructions
- Zest Infusion: Massage lemon zest into granulated sugar to release vibrant citrus oils, then cream with softened unsalted butter until light and fluffy.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Blend in room-temperature egg and fresh lemon juice until mixture becomes silky and homogeneous.
- Dough Formation: Gently fold sifted all-purpose flour into wet ingredients, creating a smooth, cohesive dough without overworking.
- Shaping and Chilling: Divide dough into two uniform logs, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or freeze for 40 minutes to develop robust flavor and firm texture.
- Preparation and Slicing: Center oven rack and preheat to 350°F (177°C). Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice chilled logs into thin, even rounds using a sharp knife.
- Baking Process: Arrange cookie rounds on prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes until edges turn delicately golden, then allow residual heat to finish cooking for an additional 5-6 minutes.
- Cooling and Finishing: Transfer baking sheet to cooling rack, let cookies rest for 5 minutes, then carefully move to wire rack for complete cooling and optimal texture.
Notes
- Zest Technique: Massaging lemon zest into sugar releases essential oils, intensifying the citrus flavor and creating a more aromatic base for the cookies.
- Butter Whipping Tip: Whip butter until light and pale to ensure a fluffy, tender cookie texture that melts in your mouth.
- Dough Handling: Avoid overmixing when incorporating flour to prevent tough, dense cookies; fold gently until just combined.
- Chilling Importance: Freezing or refrigerating the dough helps solidify fats, prevents spreading, and allows flavors to develop deeper, resulting in more complex and refined cookies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 139 kcal
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 38 mg
- Fat: 5.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg