Sugar cookies with a hint of lemon layered with a thick topping of butter frosting – that says YUM! My dad said they tasted like cupcakes in a cookie, I think he is right.
These cookies have very simple ingredients but put together they make something simple taste soft and delicious. I prefer to roll the dough into a log and wrap in plastic wrap and let the flavours meld together for a while in the fridge before I bake them. The dough for this batch was actually refrigerated for 2 days before I baked them. It makes it easy to then just slice and bake, no rolling, no scooping, no rolling balls – just easy slicing.
When you bake these cookies you want to bake them just until set and they have a little colour on the bottom, no brown edges or tops, just nice and pale. This will ensure the inside is nice and soft and chewy.
If you want to fancy up the cookies you can add a drop of food colouring to the frosting and sprinkles and you have an instant party!
So put on the kettle and enjoy a nice cuppa tea and some frosted sugar cookies- you deserve it! We sure did after a day of yard work raking and piling wood at camp.
- 1 cup (8 ounces) butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 2 eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- for the frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tbsp cream/milk
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, and mix well. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until a firm dough forms.
- Form into 2 logs and wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Slice the dough into ⅓-1/2 inch thick slices. Place at least on non-stick cookie sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until the bottom edges are just slightly golden. Bake one sheet at a time to ensure even cooking. Do not let tops or sides brown.
- Let cool on pan 5 minutes then transfer to rack to cool completely.
- Mix together frosting until creamy and spread on cookies. Add sprinkles if desired.