Meyer Lemon Cookies Food

MEYER LEMON CARDAMOM CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out 2 sheet pans. Whisk to combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl and set aside.
• Sift the powdered sugar into another bowl to ensure there are no lumps and set aside.
• In an electric standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, spread the butter around the bowl by mixing on low for about 20 seconds. Bump the speed up to medium low, and slowly stream in the granulated sugar. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• (We are cutting little holes in the butter with the abrasive sugar, and those little holes will expand from the leavening properties of the baking powder during baking so we can get that soft cakey texture for the cookies.)
• Scrape down the bowl with a spatula, add the eggs one at a time, and mix on medium until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat until blended.
• Turn off the mixer and add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until the flour disappears.
• Use a number 40 (1 1/2 tablespoons) scoop to portion out your cookies, then roll the portioned dough into small balls. Roll the balls in the sifted powdered sugar, and place on the sheet pan at least 2-inches apart.
• Bake for 13 to14 minutes, until the surface of the cookies have cracked and puffed up. The cookies will not be browned. Cool the cookies on a wire rack and serve.
• Creaming the butter and sugar together is such an important step. This method ensures that the cakey tender texture characteristic of this cookie is achieved.

MEYER LEMON RICOTTA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine butter and sugar in bowl; cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, ricotta, lemon extract, zest and juice; blend well.
• Add 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt; blend to combine. Add remaining flour in 2 parts, blending to combine between each, until a dough forms. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2-inches apart onto baking sheets.
• Bake until cookie edges are very light golden, about 12-15 minutes. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for a few minutes and transfer to wire cooling rack.
• While cookies cool, prepare glaze by creaming together butter and sugar. Continue to mix, gradually adding juice until desired consistency. Decorate cooled cookies adding decorating sugar, before icing sets.

MEYER ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Using a microplane grater, remove the zest from 4 Meyer lemons. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons for the dough.
• Mix butter on high speed until fluffy and add sugar and egg. Continue mixing on medium speed and add vanilla and lemon rind. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients until blended. Mixing on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until blended, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• While the dough is being chilled, juice the lemons you removed the zest from earlier. Add the remaining lemon rind to the juice and slowly mix in the powdered sugar. It's better to err on the side of too thick for the icing as runny icing won't form nice stripes.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into 1 1/4 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with a glass or measuring cup. Coat the bottom of the glass or cup with sugar between flattening. Try to get the cookies around 1/4 inch in height.
• Bake 9- 11 (If you want a crisper cookie you may need 11+ minutes. Other wise 9-10 should give you a softer cookie.) minutes at 375 degrees until edges are just turning golden. Remove from oven and tranfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
• Set a plastic bag in a glass and pour the icing mixture into the plastic bag. Snip the corner off the plastic bag and pipe stripes along the cooled cookie tops. Let the icing harden fully before transferring to storage container.