Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (for a gluten-free option, try a blend of oat and almond flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- Zest of 2 large lemons (make sure to avoid the white pith)
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (preferably from those bright Devon lemons that remind me of summer)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
If you’re avoiding dairy, swapping butter for a high-quality coconut oil works surprisingly well, though it does lend a subtle coconut note to the finished cookie, which I think is rather charming. And if you don’t have fresh lemons, bottled juice will do in a pinch, but the zest is truly where the magic lives.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This is where I learned the importance of preparation—my mum always said, “Measure twice, bake once.”
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This dry mix will give your cookies their structure while keeping them light.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer, or a bit longer by hand, but it’s worth the effort for that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Beat in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully combined. The kitchen will start smelling like a summer orchard, and it’s hard not to smile at this point.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing gently until everything is just combined. Overmixing here will lead to tougher cookies, so be gentle—just like folding in memories with care.
- Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, drop rounded dollops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. These cookies spread a little as they bake, so give them room to blossom.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden but the centres still look soft. I always peek at around the 10-minute mark—there’s something so satisfying about that first hint of golden warmth.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This cooling step helps them set perfectly soft in the middle.
- If you like a touch of extra sweetness, dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. It adds that old-fashioned charm my mum adored.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
