Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (use vanilla or lemon zest if you don’t have this)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Preparation
Step 1
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
Add lemon extract, vanilla or zest, salt and baking powder.
Add eggs in 3 stages, mixing after each addition.
Add flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
Remove dough from mixing bowl and wrap in clear film, patting it down into a round disc.
Chill the dough overnight or for several days; minimum 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 4 sheet pans with parchment paper or silpat.
Remove ¼ of the dough from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
Dip cookie cutter lightly in flour and cut into desired shapes, placing cookies onto prepared sheet pans. Repeat with remaining dough. They do not spread very much.
Brush cookies with milk or beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sugar, sprinkles or sparkling sugars before baking; otherwise bake plain without brushing with milk or egg white.
Bake for 7-8 minutes or until slightly golden on edges. The cookies will stay pale on top.
Cool and decorate with colored icing or leave as they are. They can also be dipped in dark chocolate and set onto clean parchment paper or wax paper until set.
Yield: Makes 6 dozen 2” cookies, or just over 2 lbs. of cookies (depends on cookie cutter size).