Old-Fashioned Lemon Sugar Cookies

These large cookies have a classic lemony flavor, a chewy texture, and glistening, crackly tops created with a double sprinkling of sanding sugar

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Source: Martha Stewart Living, August 2005 
https://www.marthastewart.com/333938/old-fashioned-sugar-cookies 
 

Makes about 20 (3 1/2-inch) cookies

Yield 

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened
• 2 large eggs
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. 
   

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.

   
   

    
2. 
   

   Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon juice. Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

   
   

    
3. 
   

   Scoop dough using a 2-inch ice cream scoop; space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush; sprinkle with more sanding sugar.
4. 
   

   Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

 

 

Sugar Cookies (Roll Out)

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°F In large bowl with mixer at medium high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. the dough will be very stiff; blend last addition of flour in by hand. Do not chill dough.

2. Divide dough into 2 balls.
On a floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll each ball approximately 1/4 inch thick.
Dip cutters in flour before each use.
Bake cookies on top rack of oven for 12 -15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
Cool before decorating.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies. (About 105 calories)

To Make Chocolate: thoroughly blend 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa with dry ingredients before adding them to the butter mixture. (If dough is too soft to roll, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a short time.)

2009: added Walnuts, pressed into Cari's shape pan, or made as simple cookies (by Sami)

Sugar Cookies - Blue Ribbon

Prep Time: 45 min Bake time: 7 min 375F
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
Sugar, if desired

Heat oven to 375oF
Combine butter powdered sugar and ½ cup sugar in large bowl – beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy
Add egg and vanilla; beat until well mixed.
Reduce speed to low; add flour, cream of tartar & baking soda.
Beat until dough forms a ball. Shape dough into 1” balls.
Place 1” apart onto ungreased (parchmented) sheets.
Flatten to about 1 ½” with bottom of glass dipped in sugar;
Sprinkle with decorator sugars if desired.
Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.
Makes: 6 dozen
2007 Made by Branden & Darcie