Bready or Not: Lemon Crinkle Cookies

For several years, I experimented with lemon pie recipes to try to find "the one," and none of them were that good. I finally was given an amazing recipe from my husband's grandma--one that makes a tried and true awesome lemon pie.



Pies are awesome, but pies have their deficiencies as well. Pies are not very portable, especially in 110-degree heat with a mile-long walk into work. Meringue-type pies can't be frozen, can only stay fresh for so long, and they can't feed large crowds.

I present to you the cookie recipe that made my husband turn teary-eyed with joy as he pronounced, "These cookies taste like sunshine and happiness. It's like you made that awesome pie into cookie form!"



Not only did my husband love these cookies, but they were a smash hit at his work, too. I can see myself returning to this recipe every time there's a good sale on lemons.

These cookies are pure lemony goodness--the ultimate summer dessert treat.



Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Makes 2-3 dozen
Modified from LDS Living

Ingredients:
1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 whole egg, room temperature
zest of two lemons
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (amount from one lemon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

for rolling:
1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in lemon extract, egg, lemon zest, and juice.

2) Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. The dough will end up dreamily smooth.

3) Chill dough for minimum of two hours, or overnight.

4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper, or use seasoned stoneware.

5) Pour powdered sugar into a bowl. Form a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

6) Bake for 13-15 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte (not melty or shiny). Remove from oven and cool cookies several minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Sprinkle more powdered sugar on top if you like.


OM NOM NOM.