Soft Baked Lemon Sugar Cookies With Coarse Sugar
By Leah Okonkwo
Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Total
27 min
Servings
18
Level
Easy
I make lemon sugar cookies when I want a citrus-flavored chewy cookie․ I add lemon zest to my sugar and coat the balls of cookie dough in more coarse sugar before baking for a mottled look and color (which I like) and a wrinkled‚ chewy cookie with a softer inside․
The rubbing-in process lasts 1 to 2 minutes․ Rub in by hand with your fingertips until the lemon sugar mixture is pale yellow and moist‚ with lemon peel evenly incorporated․ The lemon scent is detectable at this stage․ Beat the butter and lemon sugar mixture on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light‚ fluffy‚ and smooth around the beaters․
I sift and measure flour․ Measuring directly from the bag of flour results in too much flour and brittle cookies․ I add dry ingredients to the bowl in two additions and stop the mixer when the dough is fully combined and there are no visible streaks of dry ingredients in the bowl․ Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl when adding wet ingredients․
I use a 1․5-inch scooper and a large baking sheet lined with matte white baking parchment․ I coat the cookies with coarse sugar on all sides to keep the dough hidden․ Bake in the center of the oven at 350°F (175°C) until the edges are set and the centers are soft and raised․ Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes․ Additional crinkling will occur as the cookies cool․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Additional egg yolk in the recipe adds a chewy texture to cookies․ Additional egg yolk may be preferred by some people who like thicker cookies better than thinner ones․
- An 18-cookie batch would be appropriate for a sample tray or several days' worth of cookies․ An 18-cookie batch would also work well for a cookie exchange event․
- The 1․5-inch scooper helps produce cookies of equal size in the pan․
- Coarse sugar stays on the cookie․ Granulated sugar melts down into the cookie dough․
- Fresh lemon zest sprinkled in the cookie dough introduces yellow flecks and lemon flavor‚ in addition to sugar flavor‚ in the cookie․
- Mix the dry ingredients briefly to prevent overmixing the dough․
Ingredients
- •½ cup unsalted butter (113g, softened to room temperature)
- •1 cup white granulated sugar (200g)
- •2 tbsp fresh lemon zest (12g, from about 2 medium lemons)
- •1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15ml)
- •1 large egg (room temperature)
- •1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- •1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5ml)
- •2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (280g, spooned and leveled)
- •½ tsp baking soda (3g)
- •½ tsp baking powder (2g)
- •½ tsp kosher salt (3g)
- •⅓ cup coarse granulated sugar (65g, for rolling the dough)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Massage them together with your fingertips for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar is fragrant and pale golden-yellow.
- 2
Add the softened butter and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light, creamy, and fluffy.
- 3
Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- 4
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate medium bowl. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two batches, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- 5
Line a large flat baking sheet with matte white parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1.5-inch (4cm) balls, then roll each ball generously in coarse granulated sugar until completely coated.
- 6
Bake on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are thick, slightly puffy, and underbaked. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
165
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