Lemon Sugar Cookies with Crinkly Tops and Lemon Zest
By Ava Mitchell
Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Total
27 min
Servings
18
Level
Easy
Zesting lemon peel into the sugar before mixing in other ingredients adds lemon flavor to the cookies beyond that provided by the lemon peel pieces․ Pieces of lemon peel can be seen in the finished cookies․ Beating the butter makes the cookies light․ Coating the tops with coarse sugar helps form a cracked crust․ The insides of the cookies are soft․
I grate lemon zest on a Microplane and take care not to include any white pith‚ which is extremely bitter․ Rub lemon zest with sugar for about two minutes․ The sugar should turn a light golden yellow and smell strongly of lemons․ Rubbing lemon zest with sugar adds more lemon flavor to the dough than using lemon juice․
Cream butter and lemon sugar on high speed to increase volume․ Mix flour into the creamed mixture on low speed only until the last streak disappears to make sure all flour is thoroughly mixed and baked goods are not tough․ Adding a room-temperature egg to creamed butter and lemon sugar will help the ingredients mix well and prevent curdling․
The cookie centers should look underbaked when pulled from the oven․ The tops should be brown and cracked․ Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes to finish cooking while retaining moisture․ If you have a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop‚ consider using it․ It can help ensure even cookies and make it easier to tell when they are done․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Grating lemon zest into sugar adds lemon oil to the cookie dough, Lemon-colored bits of dough show up in the finished cookies․
- Creaming butter for 3 to 4 minutes adds air to the cookie dough‚ which helps the cookies bake up thick․
- Cornstarch weakens the gluten in the center of cookies made with flour‚ creating chewy cookies instead of brittle ones․
- Coarse sparkling sugar helps the pastry balls keep their shape when baked and gives them a crackled surface․
- A 30-minute cooling time avoids spreading the dough when using softened butter․
- Removing cookies with underbaked centers lets them finish baking in the warm pan without burning around the edges․
Ingredients
- •½ cup unsalted butter (113g, softened to room temperature)
- •1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- •2 tbsp fresh lemon zest (12g)
- •1 large egg (room temperature)
- •1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15ml)
- •1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml)
- •2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- •1 tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- •½ tsp baking soda (3g)
- •½ tsp baking powder (2g)
- •½ tsp kosher salt (3g)
- •¼ cup coarse sparkling sugar (50g, for rolling)
Instructions
- 1
Rub the granulated sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers for 2 minutes, until the sugar is pale golden-yellow and fragrant.
- 2
Add the softened butter and beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- 3
Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- 4
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a separate bowl.
- 5
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on low speed, stopping as soon as the last streak of flour disappears.
- 6
Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls. Roll each ball generously in the coarse sparkling sugar.
- 7
Place the sugared dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- 8
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 9
Bake the chilled dough for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and crisped and the tops are cracked and crinkly.
- 10
Rest the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
150
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