Princess Cookies
This recipe gets its name from a story I read to my son about a princess whose only wish is to find a prince that can make a cookie that is as tiny and delicate as she is. This is a delicious little lemon cookie that will not disappoint! They can either be drizzled with a lemon glaze made of confectioners sugar and fresh lemon juice, or rolled in sugar before baking for a more subtle lemon flavor.
This recipe gets its name from a story I read to my son about a princess whose only wish is to find a prince that can make a cookie that is as tiny and delicate as she is. This is a delicious little lemon cookie that will not disappoint! They can either be drizzled with a lemon glaze made of confectioners sugar and fresh lemon juice, or rolled in sugar before baking for a more subtle lemon flavor.
- Carbohydrate 124.848517473948 g
- Cholesterol 246.475000103143 mg
- Fat 93.5302902349914 g
- Fiber 3.32286640746887 g
- Protein 12.4015951536013 g
- Saturated Fat 58.7856314001668 g
- Serving Size 1 1 dozen (334g)
- Sodium 1909.25423902545 mg
- Sugar 121.525651066479 g
- Trans Fat 6.78381997993617 g
- Calories 1372 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy, about 5 minutes, then beat in eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Gently mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Chill the dough about 30 minutes.
- Scoop up about 1 1/2 teaspoon of dough per cookie, gently form into a ball, and place the balls onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set and just beginning to brown at the edges, about 8 minutes; cool on baking sheets for 1 minute before removing to finish cooling on racks.
Why Fresh Citrus Outperforms Bottled Juice
Fresh fruit yields essential oils containing volatile aroma compounds that bottled alternatives lose during pasteurization. Rasping the yellow flavedo of the fruit rather than cutting into the bitter white pith captures concentrated limonene without introducing excess water. Acid levels in fresh juice also fluctuate less than in shelf-stable products, ensuring consistent chemical reactions with the leavening agents.Balancing Acid and Leavening
Baking soda requires an acid to trigger carbon dioxide release, which provides lift in baked goods. Lemon juice supplies citric acid to react with the alkaline sodium bicarbonate in the flour mixture. Mixing the liquid ingredients thoroughly before adding flour prevents localized pockets of unreacted soda, which causes metallic off-flavors.Temperature Control and Dough Chilling
Softened butter traps air cells during the five-minute creaming phase with white sugar, creating the foundation for a tender crumb. Chilling the dough for thirty minutes solidifies the milk fats inside the butter network, preventing excessive spread in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven. Small portions measuring roughly one and a half teaspoons bake rapidly, setting the edges within eight minutes while keeping the interior soft.
