Lemon Snowflake Cookies
In the words of our carpenter who’s currently installing a bazillion windows in our home, “Wow! Yes! These are good!”
I fall in love with these Lemon Snowflake Cookies a little more each time I make them. The first year was a total dud - I got the proportions wrong (I doubled the recipe but forgot to double the flour) and had to throw the whole batch out. After that, it was several years before I tried them again and, good lord, I’m so glad I did!
These may look suspiciously like just a variation on my favorite Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, but looks can be deceiving. Sure, they both end up in similar places - with a super chewy, deliciously addictive little cookie covered in powdered sugar - but they get there through very different routes. This one takes a little more work, but if you’re a lemon fan they are pretty much perfection.
While most of the cookies I make could be assembled with just the most basic of baking tools, these require a few specific tools: a microplane or other fine grater, a food processor, and a cookie scoop. True, I use a cookie scoop almost everywhere, but the dough here is VERY sticky and a cookie scoop will just make you a happier baker.
These cookies are fantastic both with a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in the evening. For that matter, you could combine them with these Coconut Macaroons and both beverages and throw yourself a very fancy brunch. Mmmm, brunch!
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
As stated above, it’s important to use the right tools here. Along with the usual suspects (bowls, measuring utensils, forks, spoons, etc.), you’ll need a full-sized food processor, a microplane or fine grater, and a cookie scoop. Additionally, having a hand-held juicer (like this or this) is helpful, but not completely necessary.
What makes these cookies burst with lemony deliciousness is the fact that they use real lemon zest and juice rather than lemon extract. Don’t get me wrong, extracts have their place, but if you want intense flavor you need to use the real thing!
Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients
Using your microplane or fine grater, grate the zest from your lemons. Get as much of it as you can, at least 1 1/2 tablespoons of zest. Honestly, I don’t measure this out - I just zest two lemons as much as I can and call it a day. More lemon is not a bad thing here.
Place sugar and zested lemon in your food processor. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. This will release the natural juices in the lemon zest and give your cookies amazing flavor!
Add melted butter, oil, lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and process until thickened, about another 30 seconds.
Note: when melting butter, you want it JUST melted - too hot and it will literally cook your eggs in the dough. Do you want scrambled eggs in your dough? Didn’t think so. Slice your cold butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval. After a few intervals you’ll end up with melted butter that’s lukewarm, not boiling. No scrambled eggs in sight.
Grated lemon zest and sugar, just before processing. It’s so pretty :)
Slice butter and microwave on 15 second intervals, stirring each time, to prevent it from boiling.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour wet ingredients over flour mixture and stir to combine thoroughly with a fork or whisk. Be sure to scrape the bottom of your bowl as you’re stirring and stir for longer than you think you have to because the flour tends to hide in pockets of dough.
Once thoroughly combined, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to a day. Warning: this dough is highly addictive!!!
Pour wet ingredients over dry,
Scrape the bottom as you’re stirring to reveal pockets of hidden flour and obliterate them!!!
Perfect. Cover and refrigerate. Then lick the fork. You’re welcome.
Step 4: Bake Cookies
Put powdered sugar in a bowl and line your cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator and set up an assembly line of dough, powdered sugar, and your cookie sheet.
Using your cookie scoop, scoop the dough and scrape the excess on the side of the bowl. Drop scoops of dough in your powdered sugar and gently roll the dough ball to cover it in powdered sugar on all sides. Place on cookie sheet about 2” apart (these will spread).
Bake on 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes, until cookies are cracked and look set on top but still look moist within cracks. These cookies will firm up a bit as they cool, but they’ll still be VERY chewy, and that’s a good thing.
Scrape cookie scoop across the side of the bowl to remove excess dough.
Drop dough balls into powdered sugar and roll around like a puppy in a snowbank :).
Voila!
And now, I’m going to go enjoy some of these cookies with my morning coffee and pretend my kids aren’t screaming at me from the other room…
Happy baking, friends :)