Spring has finally sprung, or so it seems. Maybe it's because the sun has already risen when we first throw off the duvet in the morning, or that it seems to still be up when heading to happy hour after work, but whatever it is, I love it. Now that it's April, it's about time NYC is feelin spring. Spring means the changing of colors; no longer are we surrounded by darks and neutrals, but brights + florals. With these new trends and colors also comes new flavors, like juicy mango and rouge strawberries of just the right sweetness. Then there's another favorite, the zesty and tart, yet perfectly fresh: the lemon. Although lemons can be grown year round, there's something about them that makes them the perfect complement to a sugar cookie in spring. They keep the flavor fresh and add the slightest tangy taste.
Lemon Sugar Cookies
makes 45 cookies | total time: 3.5 hours | hands on time: 1.5 hours
Lemon Sugar Cookie
Ingredients
2 Eggs
1 c. Butter, unsalted
1 c. Granulated Sugar
3 c. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Juice of 1 medium Lemon
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a mixmaster, cream softened butter and sugar, about three minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, about 1 minute per egg.
3. Mix in lemon juice until combined. Slowly add flour and beat until the dough is smooth.
4. Remove dough from bowl of mixmaster and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm enough to roll.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator. Lightly flour your counter space and place a chunk of dough on top, about 1/4 of total amount. With a rolling pin, roll to about 1/4 in. thickness. Using a lightly floured cookie cutter, cut out individual cookies and place them on a cookie sheet. Cookies on the cookie sheet can be close together because the dough will not spread. Repeat until all the dough has been cut. Place cookie sheets in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, this will prevent the dough from spreading while baking.
6. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are very lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool about fifteen minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Let cool completely before icing.
Lemon Icing
Ingredients
5 c. Powdered Sugar
1 Egg White
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Directions
1. In large bowl, mix all three ingredients together until well combined. The icing should be quite thick and be able to form stiff peaks.
2. Using a piping bag or icing knife and ice the completely cooled cookies. The icing will harden quickly so, if decorating, add sprinkles/decor within a few minutes after icing.
