The BEST Lemon Cookies

INGREDIENTS

For the Cookies:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
• 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• Yellow food coloring (optional)

For the Lemon Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
• 1 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

For the Cookies:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping the bowl down once while mixing. If you’re adding some food coloring, mix it in now. (1 to 2 drops goes a long way!)
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter and beat on low speed until almost combined. Scrape the bowl down one last time then beat just until combined. Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
5. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop 1½ tablespoons size balls of cookie dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheets spacing them about two inches apart. (For cookies that bake with a less crackled top, roll the dough balls between your palms to make them smooth.)
6. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes or until the edges are set and just starting to turn golden. (You don’t want these cookies to brown much or they will be crispy and not soft.) Let the cookies cool completely on the pan.

For the Lemon Glaze:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to reach your desired consistency. (Add more lemon juice for a looser drizzle and less for a spreadable glaze.)
2. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled cookies. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

NOTES

• Measure the flour correctly. Using too much flour is a common mistake when baking and will result in dry, crumbly cookies. To measure flour accurately, use a kitchen scale and go by weight. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, don’t scoop directly from the flour container. Fluff up the flour first and spoon it into the measuring cup before leveling it off with a butter knife.
• For a super tender, fluffy cookie: Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour mixture and replace ¼ cup of the granulated sugar with packed light brown sugar. Cornstarch is the secret ingredient to making a soft cookie soft and brown sugar makes them slightly chewy!
• Chill the cookie dough. It might not seem important, but chilling the dough is so important to ensure the cookies don’t spread and flatten too much.
• Use a cookie scoop. This is helpful for getting the cookies to all be the same size.
• Use more or less lemon juice in the glaze depending on how you want to use it. For a runnier glaze that’s easy to drizzle, use more lemon juice. For a thicker glaze you can spread or dip the cookies into, use less lemon juice.
• For a neater presentation, use a piping bag. I love the rustic look of a cookie drizzled with glaze straight off the whisk. But if you want a uniform glaze on the cookies, use a piping bag.