There are a lot of different sugar cookies out there. Frosted cut-out cookies in various shapes and designs, enormous bakery-style ones with crispy edges and soft middles that probably have 600 calories, and those weird Lofthouse ones that basically taste like…well, nothing. No offense if you’re a Lofthouse fan. I just don’t get it.
This recipe is one of my favorites – it’s adapted from the King Arthur Baking Cookie Companion Essential Chewy recipe. I added lemon zest and lemon extract to the dough because lemon is one of my favorite things ever, and they turned out really well. You could do an orange version as well – so maybe next time.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus about 1/4 cup additional for rolling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
- zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- Additional sugar for rolling
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute; add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and egg and beat until well-combined. Add flour and beat to combine.
Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough, roll into balls, and dip in sugar to coat completely.
Place cookies at least 2 inches apart on baking sheets; they will spread some when baking. I put 6 cookies per sheet, and that worked well.
Bake for 10 minutes, until edges are barely beginning to brown and centers still look puffy. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 22.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 