A cross between a shortbread cookie and a sugar cookie. These cookies are lightly sweet, with a lovely texture and just the perfect amount of lemon flavour.
1 1/4cupsicing/confectioners’ sugar, plus more for garnish below
1Tablespoonfinely grated lemon zest, finely grated and packed
2Tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1egg yolk
2cupsall-purpose flour
1/4cupcornstarch
1/2teaspoonkosher salt, just a pinch if using salted butter. 1/4 tsp if using fine salt and unsalted butter
For finishing:
Additional icing/confectioners' sugar, for dusting after baking
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Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric beater or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter with the 1 1/4 cups of icing sugar and lemon zest on low speed until the icing sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the lemon juice and egg yolk. Mix until combined.
Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and set each piece on a length of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the sticky dough and roll and shape it with the palm of your hands to form it into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inches wide. Roll the cylinder a few times to help shape it, but don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Chill the dough until completely firm, at least 2 hours. *I like to stand the cylinders on their end, to avoid a flat bottom.
(You can double wrap and freeze the one or both of cylinders at this point. To use later, remove from the freezer and let warm slightly before slicing, to avoid cracking in the dough. Baking from semi-frozen may take an extra few minutes.)
Preheat oven to 350F when ready to bake and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice the dough into rounds just about 1/4-inch thick (*see notes) and arrange them at least 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway though baking. The cookies should be golden around the edges, but not brown all of the way through.
Set the pans on cooling racks and cool for a few minutes, then dust both sides of the warm cookies with the remaining 3/4 cup of icing sugar. Let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack, then store at room temperature in an airtight container. You can dust with additional confectioners’ sugar just before serving, if desired.
Notes
To keep your cookies round, after every two of three slices, rotate the cylinder and gently re-roll it into a circle before slicing a few more, Repeat every 2-3 slices and you will have round cookies!Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, where I share some valuable tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!