Glazed Lemon Wafers
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
These cookies feature bursts of lemon flavors in every bite. Two kinds of lemon – fresh lemon zest and pure lemon extract – reside in the cookie dough, and fresh lemon juice flavors the thin glaze on top. The result is something wonderfully crunchy and piquantly delicious. The dough – a simple variation on classic shortbread, assembles quickly, rolls neatly, and slices well. It’s easy to imagine a lime version, or an orange version of these melt-in-the-mouth cookie wafers.
Cookie Ingredients:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, zested
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1-1/2 cups flour
Glaze: (optional)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, salt and the zest from one lemon. Pulse several times until well combined. The oils from the lemon zest will flavor the sugars nicely.
2. Cut the softened butter into tablespoon-sized chunks and add to the sugars in the food processor and pulse until the sugar and butter are combined. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and lemon extracts, and pulse again until combined.
3. Add the flour and pulse until just combined. Do not over mix.
4. On a piece of parchment paper, or plastic wrap, empty the dough from the work bowl or mixing bowl, and using a light touch, gather into a dough ball. Cut the dough in half. Form round logs from each piece approximately 1-1/2-inch in diameter. Wrap each log well in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 3 days, or up to 1 month in the freezer.
5. At baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cookie baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or choosing nonstick baking sheets. Using a large, sharp knife, slice the dough logs in one-quarter inch slices. Place on the cookie sheet about an inch apart.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges just barely begin to turn brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool slightly – about 4-5 minutes – right on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
7. In small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and one tablespoon of the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add additional lemon juice one drop at a time until the desired consistency is reached, about a 3-second ribbon. Spread or drizzle the icing on top of the cooled cookies. Allow the icing to set and harden prior to packaging.
Variation:
Add 1/4 cup poppy seeds to the dough (prior to adding the flour) for a delicious Lemon-Poppyseed Cookie. |
