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Homemade Lemon Drop Cookies with Tangy Lemon Glaze
Bright, buttery, and full of citrusy goodness, these Lemon Drop Cookies are sure to be a new favorite. Crushed candy baked into the dough and a tangy glaze on top create the perfect mix of sweet and tart in every bite!
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 216kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 4 ounces lemon drop candies, crushed
Glaze
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 drop of Lemon Yellow gel food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Put sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. (You can also use a hand mixer to make this recipe.)
- Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs one at a time; add vanilla and lemon extract. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Stir in crushed lemon drop candies.
- Roll into 1-inch balls. (I used a #40 cookie scoop. These are the same thing as an ice cream scoop.)
- Flatten slightly and bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes until edges start to brown and center is almost set. (The cookies spread quite a bit, so I only baked eight cookies per sheet.)
- Let cool slightly on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool completely.
- Make a glaze by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice; then spread over cookie tops.
Notes
Use Parchment Paper: For easier cleanup and more even baking, always line your baking sheets with parchment paper rather than greasing them.
Adjust Glaze Consistency: If you prefer a thicker glaze, reduce the lemon juice by 1 tablespoon; for a thinner, more translucent glaze, add an extra teaspoon of juice.
Don't Worry About Settling: The crushed lemon drops may settle to the bottom of the dough during mixing - this is normal and creates a delicious candy layer in the finished cookies.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg