Big Crispy Sugar Cookies With a Touch of Lemon

[claire797]

Big Crispy Sugar Cookies With a Touch of Lemon

Serves 36 as Dessert.

This recipe, which was adapted from a recipe by Helen Witty, really opened my eyes to how good a sugar cookie can be without vanilla extract. It's almost as if the lack of vanilla allows the butter and lemon flavor to shine through. Of course, you can always leave out the lemon and nutmeg and use vanilla instead. If you skip the chilling step, the cookies will spread more. These cookies are pretty crispy -- not cakey in the least.

• 1 c butter, unsalted, room temperature
  
• 1 c granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 c light brown sugar
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  
• 1 tsp lemon zest
  
• 2-1/2 c all purpose flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 3/4 tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp water, if needed
  
• Coarse or granulated sugar for coating
  

Beat butter until soft. Add both sugars and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in yolks, one by one, followed by nutmeg and lemon zest. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt, then stir flour mixture into sugar mixture. Add water if dough seems too dry. Form into a ball and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat (or something). I don't recommend greasing, because these cookies do spread.

To make 3 inch cookies, measure out dough by rounded tablespoonfuls. Form dough into balls and roll in coarse sugar. Flatten dough balls to 2 inches diameter. Leave about 3 inches space between cookies.

Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Keywords: Cookie

( RG1471 )