# [[Sugar Cookies - Lemon]] **Prep Time:** **25 minutes** **Chill Time:** **60 minutes** **Bake Time:** **10–12 minutes** **Yield:** 24–30 cookies (2.5–3 inch cutters) ## Ingredients ### Lemon Sugar Cookies - 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar - Zest of 2 lemons 👀 - 1 large egg, room temperature - 2 tsp vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp lemon extract - 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice - 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour - 1/2 tsp baking powder - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt ### Lemon Royal Icing - 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted - 3 tbsp (45 ml) pasteurized egg whites (or liquid egg whites) - 1 tsp lemon extract - 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) fresh lemon juice 👀 - Optional: yellow food coloring ## Instructions ### Lemon Sugar Cookies 1. In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until **just combined** (**~1 minute**). Do **not** whip. 2. Add egg, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice; mix until smooth. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. 4. Add dry ingredients to wet; mix just until dough comes together. 5. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap tightly, and chill **60 minutes**. 6. Preheat oven to ==350°F / 175°C==. 7. Roll dough between parchment sheets to 1/4 inch (6 mm). 8. Cut shapes; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. 9. Chill cut cookies **10 minutes** before baking. 10. Bake **10–12 minutes**, until bottoms are barely golden. 11. Cool on sheet **5 minutes**, then transfer to rack to cool completely. ### Lemon Royal Icing 1. In a bowl or stand mixer, combine powdered sugar and egg whites. 2. Mix on low, then medium, until smooth and thick (**~2 minutes**). 3. Add lemon extract. 4. Add lemon juice **a little at a time** until desired consistency: - **Outline icing:** thick, holds peaks - **Flood icing:** ribbon disappears in **8–10 seconds** 5. Tint if desired. Cover icing tightly when not in use. #### Notes - Cookies must be **fully cooled** before icing or icing will melt. - Use stiffer icing for outlines; thin with reserved lemon juice for flooding. - Iced cookies set hard in **4–6 hours**; fully cured in **24 hours**. - Finished cookies stack cleanly once cured.