These Sweet & Sour Lemon Cookies will make your lips pucker in the best possible way. The first bite is really tart because the glaze is made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and a healthy amount of lemon zest. As you chew, the sweetness of the cookie itself — which has the barest hint of lemon — comes through to smooth everything out. It’s the perfect expression of love itself. I don’t know about you, but the people I love the most are also the ones that can break my heart. Fortunately, we always end up on the sweet side of love, because that’s what family is all about.
“Today I will live in the moment unless it’s unpleasant in which case I will eat a cookie.” Cookie Monster
I wanted to make a delicate cookie with just the barest suggestion of lemon and then cover it in a really tart lemon glaze. This heart-shaped cookie with a fluted-edged met the challenge perfectly. I added the tiny red heart to the top as a promise that the inside would be a sweet reward after tackling the sour glaze. So-o-o good!
Cookie specifics
Lemon Cookies. The combination of European butter and fresh-squeezed lemon juice made this cookie both delicate and packed with flavor. The texture is buttery and light, almost like pastry crust, but it is full of subtle hints of lemon, and covered with a bright and tangy lemon glaze. A perfect representation of the sweet and sour sides of love.
Shapes
Small, fluted-edge heart shape cookie cutter.
Sizes
I kept the size small — 2½ inches, which is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
My Family Recipe
Lemon Thins. This lemon cookie is actually a combination of my favorite pie crust and classic sugar cookie. The texture is unique and the addition of fresh lemon juice give it a subtle lemon flavor.
Glaze
Glaze: I used a thinned version of my Glaze for Piping recipe, substituting lemon juice for the water and adding a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest to make it really zingy. I dipped each cookie in the glaze and before the glaze set up, I added the small, red candy heart as a simple decoration.
Glaze for Piping Recipe
Cookies
Lemon Thins: flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, confectioners’ sugar, butter, eggs, fresh lemon juice, salt
Glaze & Decorative Embellishments
Glaze for Piping: sugar, water, corn syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest
Sprinkles: Small, heart-shaped, red sprinkles
Plate, Box or Bag?
Paper Plate. I arranged the cookies on a sturdy paper plate and wrapped the whole thing in clear plastic wrap to give to my sister and her family and to my neighbors.
Bags. I also wrapped several dozen of them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. Then I put them in quart-size freezer bags to ship them to friends and family across the U.S. This ensured that they would be as fresh as possible and protects them as they make their way to the ones I love.
Mailing. I mailed the cookies to my family and friends throughout the U.S. I always send them Priority Mail through the U.S. Post Office. I use the boxes provided by the Post Office and lots of bubble wrap. In almost all cases, the cookies arrive undamaged. I know the packages are appreciated when they arrive because of the texts I get with all those smiling faces.
What I’ve learned...
If you want amazing lemon flavor in cookies or cakes, fresh-squeezed lemon juice beats bottled any day. When our lemon tree is producing, I squeeze and zest as many as I can and freeze the juice and zest to use later. If you buy lemons, be sure to wash them in warm soapy water to remove the wax coating before you zest them. These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
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