These classic-styled cookies that won't win prizes for refined glamor, but deliver in cozy, refreshing flavor. This is a good recipe to make a day or weeks ahead of time, as the dough keeps well in the fridge for days or in the freezer for weeks. This recipe makes a LOT of dough, too--enough for 100 to 120 cookies.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies, lemon
Servings: 110
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
parchment paper
cookie cutter
cooling rack
Ingredients
1cupunsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
2cupswhite sugar
2large eggs room temperature
1/4cupmilk or half & half
3teaspoonslemon extract
1teaspoonvanilla extract
4 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonbaking soda
colored sugar for topping, optional
Instructions
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time followed by the milk and both extracts. Scrape the bottom of the bowl.
In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to the wet mix to create a cohesive dough (and it makes a LOT of dough!).
At this point, the dough can be divided to rest in the fridge or placed in the freezer for weeks. If the cookies will be made today, chill the dough, covered, for about 30 minutes. (Note that if the dough is chilled for a longer time, it will need to sit at room temperature for a bit to become soft enough to roll out.)
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly flour a clean, flat surface. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Parcel out using a 2-inch inch cookie cutter. Place spaced out a bit on cookie sheet. If using colored sugar, sprinkle atop each cookie to coat. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until set. Let the cookies idle on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat process to make more cookies. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
The full batch of cookies will make 100-120, dependent on the thickness.