William & Amy's Lemon Cookies
NOTES
1. This recipe makes about 50 small cookies, about 1-1/2" in diameter.
2. Cookies have a subtle lemon flavor. Very satisfying.
3. Requires refrigeration either all day or overnight, then bake the cookies the next day.
4. The butter doesn't need to be at room temperature, but it should be rather cold. (You don't cream the butter but rather cut it into flour.)
5. A food processor is a big help, but Liz wonders about cutting in the butter and doing other steps by hand...
6. According to Jeanne, it's fine to have a golden rim on the top of the cookie, with a bit of paleness in the center. Cookies will be crunchy all the way through, with a deeper, fuller lemon flavor. Additional cooking time will be 3-5 min. (According to William and Amy: Finished cookies should NOT be brown on top, so it's important to watch them very closely after 10-11 minutes of baking.)
7. Other tips to look for when baking time nears completion: firm to the touch; bottom edges of cookies begin to brown
INGREDIENTS
2-1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up (1/4 inch cubes?)
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Zest ("grated rinds") of 2 lemons
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon extract
Also needed: waxed paper or parchment paper
(Dec 2014) Cookies can be topped with lemon sugar:
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Process together in a small food processor. Drop a pinch of lemon sugar over each before baking.
(Dec 2015) Cookies can be topped with lemon glaze when cool:
1 cup powdered sugar
about 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Mix together until desired consistency -- a little on the stiff side. Glaze will harden in a few hours.
PREPARATION
1. In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Pulse 2 to 3 times to sift together.
2. Cut butter into 1/4" cubes and add to flour mixture. Pulse just until the dough comes together to form coarse crumbs. (Use a spatula if necessary to get dough off of sides of the food processor)
3. Add sugar and lemon zest. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until just mixed in.
4. Lightly beat an egg; add lemon extract to it.
5. Add egg mixture and pulse just until mixture comes together to form a smooth dough. Use a spatula if necessary to get dough off of sides of the food processor.
6. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a rough log and roll it into waxed paper/parchment paper so it forms a neat cylinder about 7 inches long and 1-1/2 inches in diameter and refrigerate. (This roll would be smaller than a Pillsbury roll of refrigerated dough.)
7. Refrigerate the dough for a few hours or as long as 1 day (or else freeze the dough in foil for up to several weeks.)
8. Set oven at 350 degrees. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set rack to the middle.
9. Use a long sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/8-inch thin rounds. (You can make them 1/4" thick too.) Set them at least 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets. (They don't spread very much.)
10. Bake cookies on the middle rack at 350 for approx. 11 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and the tops are pale tan. Rotate rack at the 6 or 7 minute mark. Watch for the cookies to begin to brown at the bottom edges. See Notes #6 and #7 above for more details. (NOTE: Amy and William have found it's best to set the timer for 11 minutes and then watch the cookies like a hawk, checking on them every minute or two.)
11. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute. Transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
1. This recipe makes about 50 small cookies, about 1-1/2" in diameter.
2. Cookies have a subtle lemon flavor. Very satisfying.
3. Requires refrigeration either all day or overnight, then bake the cookies the next day.
4. The butter doesn't need to be at room temperature, but it should be rather cold. (You don't cream the butter but rather cut it into flour.)
5. A food processor is a big help, but Liz wonders about cutting in the butter and doing other steps by hand...
6. According to Jeanne, it's fine to have a golden rim on the top of the cookie, with a bit of paleness in the center. Cookies will be crunchy all the way through, with a deeper, fuller lemon flavor. Additional cooking time will be 3-5 min. (According to William and Amy: Finished cookies should NOT be brown on top, so it's important to watch them very closely after 10-11 minutes of baking.)
7. Other tips to look for when baking time nears completion: firm to the touch; bottom edges of cookies begin to brown
INGREDIENTS
2-1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up (1/4 inch cubes?)
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Zest ("grated rinds") of 2 lemons
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon extract
Also needed: waxed paper or parchment paper
(Dec 2014) Cookies can be topped with lemon sugar:
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Process together in a small food processor. Drop a pinch of lemon sugar over each before baking.
(Dec 2015) Cookies can be topped with lemon glaze when cool:
1 cup powdered sugar
about 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Mix together until desired consistency -- a little on the stiff side. Glaze will harden in a few hours.
PREPARATION
1. In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Pulse 2 to 3 times to sift together.
2. Cut butter into 1/4" cubes and add to flour mixture. Pulse just until the dough comes together to form coarse crumbs. (Use a spatula if necessary to get dough off of sides of the food processor)
3. Add sugar and lemon zest. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until just mixed in.
4. Lightly beat an egg; add lemon extract to it.
5. Add egg mixture and pulse just until mixture comes together to form a smooth dough. Use a spatula if necessary to get dough off of sides of the food processor.
6. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a rough log and roll it into waxed paper/parchment paper so it forms a neat cylinder about 7 inches long and 1-1/2 inches in diameter and refrigerate. (This roll would be smaller than a Pillsbury roll of refrigerated dough.)
7. Refrigerate the dough for a few hours or as long as 1 day (or else freeze the dough in foil for up to several weeks.)
8. Set oven at 350 degrees. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set rack to the middle.
9. Use a long sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/8-inch thin rounds. (You can make them 1/4" thick too.) Set them at least 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets. (They don't spread very much.)
10. Bake cookies on the middle rack at 350 for approx. 11 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and the tops are pale tan. Rotate rack at the 6 or 7 minute mark. Watch for the cookies to begin to brown at the bottom edges. See Notes #6 and #7 above for more details. (NOTE: Amy and William have found it's best to set the timer for 11 minutes and then watch the cookies like a hawk, checking on them every minute or two.)
11. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute. Transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
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