Zesty Lemon Cookies Recipes

LEMON COOKIES FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Cream sugar, butter, and lemon zest together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Combine eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a cup; mix using a fork until combined. Beat into egg mixture slowly on low speed.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add to egg mixture slowly on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat; dough will be sticky. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; it will still be sticky after chilling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Form dough into balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon and roll each in powdered sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Lightly smash each ball down using your hand.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the middle of each cookie is just barely set, 11 to 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack completely before storing in an airtight container.

ZESTY LEMON ICE CREAM COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Spoon the ice cream into a rimmed baking sheet and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, 2 to 3 hours. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut the ice cream into 12 rounds, reshaping the ice cream "sheet" as needed. Keep frozen.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add the egg, and beat until the yellow disappears. Beat in the lemon zest, juice and extract.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until combined. Roll the dough into twenty-four 2-inch balls. Roll the balls in coarse sugar, if using, and place on the prepared pans. Use the bottom of a glass to press down the dough balls.
• Bake until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the bottoms, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• To assemble the sandwiches, spread 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon curd on the flat sides of 12 cookies. Sandwich an ice cream round between 2 cookies (one lemon curd-coated and one uncoated). Roll the edges in the sprinkles. Wrap and freeze the ice cream sandwiches until ready to serve.

ZESTY ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar; beat well. Add egg, oil and lemon peel; mix well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt to sugar mixture; beat until well blended. Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 325. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten cookies into 2-inch rounds with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
• Bake at 325 for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to set and cookies are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Cool 10 minutes or until completely cooled.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, blend 2 cups powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for desired spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Sprinkle pistachios on frosting before it sets.

ZESTY LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center of oven. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• To make crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt; process to combine. Add butter to processor and process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles a coarse meal, about 10 seconds. If you don't have a food processor, whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and work into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers.
• Pour crust mixture into prepared baking dish, pressing down with your fingers to create a 1/4-inch-thick layer along the bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides, pressing firmly at the edges to seal. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan once during baking, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and flour; stir in lemon juice, milk, and salt until well combined.
• Remove baking pan from oven. Stir topping and pour into warm crust. Return pan to oven and continue baking until topping is just set but not browned, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 20 squares. Serve immediately or wrap each bar tightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.