Ingredients
- 280 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour (dip and sweep)*
- 130 g (½ cup and 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 105 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 18 g (2 tablespoons packed or ¼ cup) lemon zest**
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Combine lemon zest and sugar in a bowl and stir with a fork or rub together with your fingers until well blended to release that fresh lemon scent.
- Add cubed butter and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer paddle attachment until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Beat in the egg until it’s fully mixed.
- Pour in lemon juice and stir until everything is well combined.
- Gradually add flour on the lowest mixer setting and mix just until fully incorporated.
- Divide dough into two equal parts and wrap each with plastic wrap. Shape each into a log about 6 inches (15 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) thick. Freeze for 40 minutes or refrigerate for 4–5 hours until firm.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Remove chilled dough logs from freezer. Slice into ⅕ inch (5 mm) thick pieces and lay on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes until just starting to change color. Turn off oven and leave cookies inside for 5-6 minutes more or until edges turn light golden. Take cookies out and let them cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
* For those using cup measurements, you can click here to learn about the “dip and sweep” method which helps you measure flour accurately without packing it., ** When measuring lemon zest, 1 tablespoon weighs about 6 grams loosely packed, and 9 grams if firmly packed. For this recipe, use 2 tablespoons packed (18 grams) or 3 tablespoons loosely measured, which equals about ¼ cup., Keep in mind lemons vary—an average lemon usually yields 1 tablespoon of zest. In this recipe, zest from roughly 6 medium lemons (3 g x 6 = 18 g) is used for a vibrant lemon flavor. You can use up to 21 grams if you want it zestier!, Lemon Glaze: Some readers love these cookies as they are, but if you want to add a sweet lemon glaze, mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 5-8 tablespoons powdered sugar (depending on your preferred thickness) and drizzle over cooled cookies., Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months., Make Ahead: Cookie dough keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Slice and bake whenever ready!, Use a ruler to mark ⅕ inch (5 mm) lines on dough logs for even slices., For perfect baking, slice 1 or 2 thinner slices (about 1/10 inch or 2.5 mm) to monitor doneness — when those edges turn golden, it’s time to turn off the oven and let cookies finish baking inside.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7-9 minutes plus 5-6 minutes in warm oven
- Category: Cookie
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 40 kcal per cookie
- Fat: 2 g per serving
- Carbohydrates: 6 g per serving
- Protein: 1 g per serving