Description
These Buttery Lemon Spritz Cookies are tender, zesty, and perfectly sweet treats with a delightful citrus twist. Featuring a crisp exterior with a soft center, these cookies are studded with fresh lemon zest and juice, creating a refreshing flavor perfect for spring and summer. Topped with colorful sanding sugar for a festive touch, they’re ideal for holidays, parties, or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Topping
- Pink sanding sugar
- Yellow sanding sugar (or other bright colors as preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and finely grated lemon zest until evenly combined. This ensures your cookies have a uniform lemon flavor and proper leavening.
- Cream butter and wet ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy and smooth. Add vanilla extract, lemon juice, and the room-temperature egg, beating until fully incorporated and fluffy, which will contribute to the light texture of the cookies.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Prepare cookies: Transfer the dough into a cookie press fitted with your desired shaping disc. Press the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart. If you don’t have a cookie press, you can pipe the dough using a pastry bag with a wide star tip or drop dough by spoonfuls for a rustic look.
- Add sanding sugar: Sprinkle the top of each cookie generously with pink and yellow sanding sugar to give them a sparkling, festive finish.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 6 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden. The cookies should remain light in color to preserve a delicate texture.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This helps them set and prevents breaking.
- Serve and enjoy: Once completely cooled, serve the buttery lemon spritz cookies with tea or coffee, or package them as delightful gifts.
Notes
- Using freshly grated lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice enhances the lemon flavor significantly.
- Softened butter at room temperature is key for creating a smooth dough and tender texture.
- If you don’t have sanding sugar, granulated sugar can be substituted but it won’t have the same sparkle.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh for up to a week.
- For a different flavor twist, you can substitute the lemon with orange zest and juice.
- Make sure the egg is at room temperature to blend better and avoid curdling the dough.
