Glazed Lemon Cookies

Notes

From Cook's Illustrated

This recipe makes about 30 cookies.

Extra lemony from using both zest and the juice of 2 lemons.

Be sure to add the lemon juice and the egg yolk together at the last minute to prevent curdling.

The dough, formed into a log, wrapped in parchment paper, and then in plastic wrap, will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks.

The cookies are best eaten the day they are glazed.

Ingredients

LEMON COOKIES

• ¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces)
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 1¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (8 ¾ ounces)
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

LEMON GLAZE

• 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1½ cups confectioners' sugar (6 ounces)

Directions

For the Cookies

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In food processor, process granulated sugar and lemon zest until sugar looks damp and zest is thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds.
3. Add flour, salt, and baking powder.
4. Pulse to combine, about 10 one-second pulses.
5. Scatter butter chunks
6. Pulse until mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 15 one-second pulses.
7. In measuring cup or small bowl, beat together lemon juice, egg yolk, and vanilla with fork to combine.
8. With machine running, add juice/yolk mixture in slow, steady stream (process should take about 10 seconds).
9. Continue processing until dough begins to form ball, 10 to 15 seconds longer.
10. Turn dough and any dry bits onto counter; working quickly, gently knead together to ensure that no dry bits remain and dough is homogenous.
11. Shape dough into log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter
12. Center dough on piece of parchment and fold paper over dough.
13. Grasp one end of parchment. With other hand, use bench scraper to firmly press parchment against dough to form uniform cylinder.
14. Wrap dough in parchment, and twist parchment to seal.
15. Chill dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in freezer or 2 hours in refrigerator.
16. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
17. Remove dough log from wrapping and, using sharp chef's knife, slice dough into rounds 1/4 inch thick.
18. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
19. Bake until centers of cookies just begin to color and edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes
20. Rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time.
21. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 5 minutes.
22. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature before glazing.

For the glaze

1. Whisk cream cheese and lemon juice in medium nonreactive bowl until no lumps remain.
2. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth.

To glaze the cookies

When cookies have cooled, working one at a time, spoon scant teaspoon glaze onto each cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon. Let cookies stand on wire rack until glaze is set and dry, about 1 hour.