02 Sep Lemon Shortbread Cookies
I make these cookies every Christmas, lemon isn’t usually considered a Christmassy flavour, but the cookie cutters determine how festive a cookie is and I always make these ones snowflakes at Christmas. At Halloween I make pumpkins, Valentines I make hearts, they’re great for any occasion, the perfect light gluten-free treat.
In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add sugar, eggs, and lemon zest and process until mixture resembles wet sand.
Turn mixture out onto a lightly sweet rice floured surface; knead several times until dough comes together. Divide into 3 portions; flatten each into a disk. Roll each disk to an 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of parchment. Stack dough (still in parchment) on a baking sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes. (To store, wrap in plastic and freeze on sheet, up to 2 weeks. Thaw until pliable before using.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Working with 1 dough sheet at a time, peel off parchment (save for baking). With lightly floured cutters, cut dough into desired shapes and arrange, 1 inch apart, on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets.
Bake until cookies are set but still pale, 7 to 9 minutes, Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
Once the cookies are completely cool you can start the icing. Mix the dry ingredients first, then add your lemon juice, you know you've got the right consistency when you drag a butter knife through the surface of your royal icing and count to 10. If the icing surface becomes smooth in anywhere between 5-10 seconds, then your icing is ready to use. Longer than 10 seconds, it's too thick, if so add lemon juice. If it takes less than 5 seconds, it is too runny, add more sugar.
Start icing by outlining your cookie, them filling it, popping any bubbles with a toothpick. If you want to add sanding sugar or decorative sugar balls do it as soon as you've iced it so that it sticks.
Let the cookies harden at least 12 hours before stacking them. Keep them in an airtight container until you plan on eating them.
The timing in the recipe doesn't include Icing the cookies
Ingredients
Directions
In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add sugar, eggs, and lemon zest and process until mixture resembles wet sand.
Turn mixture out onto a lightly sweet rice floured surface; knead several times until dough comes together. Divide into 3 portions; flatten each into a disk. Roll each disk to an 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of parchment. Stack dough (still in parchment) on a baking sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes. (To store, wrap in plastic and freeze on sheet, up to 2 weeks. Thaw until pliable before using.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Working with 1 dough sheet at a time, peel off parchment (save for baking). With lightly floured cutters, cut dough into desired shapes and arrange, 1 inch apart, on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets.
Bake until cookies are set but still pale, 7 to 9 minutes, Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
Once the cookies are completely cool you can start the icing. Mix the dry ingredients first, then add your lemon juice, you know you've got the right consistency when you drag a butter knife through the surface of your royal icing and count to 10. If the icing surface becomes smooth in anywhere between 5-10 seconds, then your icing is ready to use. Longer than 10 seconds, it's too thick, if so add lemon juice. If it takes less than 5 seconds, it is too runny, add more sugar.
Start icing by outlining your cookie, them filling it, popping any bubbles with a toothpick. If you want to add sanding sugar or decorative sugar balls do it as soon as you've iced it so that it sticks.
Let the cookies harden at least 12 hours before stacking them. Keep them in an airtight container until you plan on eating them.
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