Description
Delightful lemon-flavored cookies in festive tree shapes that bring joy to holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Yellow gel food coloring
- White icing for drizzling (optional)
- Coarse sugar for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients and ensure they are ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mix until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture until a smooth dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut into tree shapes. Place on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
- For the icing, mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Add yellow gel food coloring if desired.
- Once cooled, decorate the cookies with icing and optional white icing drizzle and coarse sugar.
Notes
Use fresh lemons for the best flavor. Chill the dough longer for better texture, and consider adding poppy seeds or using a gluten-free blend as variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: cookies, lemon, holiday, dessert, festive