Lemon Cookies

Warm weather is here and that means lovely things like the days getting longer and backyard barbecues with massive amounts of grilled food. It also means more citrus-y  desserts, which are really great when you eat way too much at said barbecues but still want something sweet to end the meal.

We had our first barbecue of the season this past weekend and these cookies made nice and light dessert. The lemon is really refreshing after a heavy meal and even though everyone was stuffed, we still managed to eat the whole plate. These cookies are slightly chewy with bright lemon flavor, making it easy to consume several at a time, so it might be best to make a double batch!

Lemon Cookies
Makes about 32

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 -1/3 cups  all purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, egg, and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well. With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Scoop 2 teaspoon portions of dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Allow to cool.