I really do love baking cookies for the holidays around here. One of my favorite places to be around Christmas is actually the kitchen. It is the only time of year that it is really okay to make sweets, rich, indulgent foods, and lots of appetizers and no one will question you!
Cookie baking has always been a part of my holiday traditions. Back before I had kids, and when they were too young to bake, some friends and I used to get together to bake cookies. It was so fun, and a great way to get a lot done, while still having a fun girls night. Now, I love baking with my kids. They love to pick out the types of cookies we will make, and then, help me in the kitchen whipping up batch after batch.
This particular cookie was high on their list. I am not sure if it was the fact that it was a little different than most of the cookies we make, or if after I changed up the recipe a little bit to make it my own, I named them Lemon Snowdrops. They love stuff like that, so I am going to go with option number two: they loved the name.
These are really good. A slightly chewy, delicate cookie bursting with fresh lemon flavor. It will give those holiday guests that claim they hate chocolate (how could anyone??) something to celebrate.
Lemon Snowdrop Cookies
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-2 large lemons, for 1 tblsp lemon zest and for 2 tblsp lemon juice + 3 tblsp for the glaze
1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2-1 cup powdered sugar
In a large bowl, begin beating butter until smooth and creamy with a handheld mixer. Add in, one at a time, the lemon zest, lemon extract, sugar and honey. Mix until well combined. Add in baking soda and lemon juice and mix. Slowly add in flour and salt and mix until it forms a dough like consistency. This should take under a minute. Work with your hands if it is too crumbly and knead it together. Roll into teaspoon sized balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack with parchment laid under it. Let cool for 10 minutes.
OPTIONAL : In a small bowl, whisk up powdered sugar and remaining 3 tblsp of lemon juice a little at a time until a glaze like consistency is reached. Add more juice or powdered sugar to achieve correct consistency of a glaze. Dunk tops of cooled cookies in glaze and set back on cooling rack to set. When glaze sets, serve, store in a tightly sealed container or freeze for up to 3 months. You may serve these without the glaze as well and they are just as delicious!
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