Name: Ponderosa Lemon Cookies
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed; 1 large egg; 1 Tbsp lemon extract; 2 Tbsp lemon zest; 1 Tbsp honey; yellow food coloring, optional and as desired; 2 cups flour; 2 tsps cornstarch; pinch salt, optional and to taste; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 Tbsp lemon juice; confectioners’ sugar for dusting or lemon glaze + lemon zest, optional

Ponderosa Lemon Cookies

Course: All Recipes, DessertsCuisine: Italian

Indulge in zesty bliss with Ponderosa Lemon Cookies! Bursting with tangy lemon flavor from zest, extract, and juice, these soft delights are sweetened with honey and dusted with confectioners' sugar or glazed for a citrusy treat.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 Tbsp lemon extract
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp honey
yellow food coloring, optional and as desired
2 cups flour
2 tsps cornstarch
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp lemon juice
confectioners’ sugar for dusting or lemon glaze + lemon zest, optional

Directions

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, lemon extract, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, light, fluffy, and well combined, about 4 minutes.
Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the lemon zest, honey, optional food coloring, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. I used 1 tsp gel food coloring; add drops or gel to desired shade. One tsp gel makes the batter quite yellow but it mellows slightly after adding the dry ingredients.
Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour, cornstarch, optional salt, and baking soda (keep the baking soda in a nice little mound rather than sprinkling it).
Add the lemon juice directly on top of the baking soda. It will bubble and foam, which means the baking soda has been activated and this is good; if your soda doesn’t bubble it’s old and expired. Beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 12 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake or undersides could become too browned. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
Optionally, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Or, for increased lemon intensity, make the lemon glaze and then sprinkle with additional lemon zest.
Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Ponderosa Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

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