Lemon Pixie Cookies (Printable Version)
Tangy, soft-baked lemon treats rolled in powdered sugar with a chewy center and citrus zest.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Coating
10 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into even balls. Roll each ball thoroughly in powdered sugar to coat completely.
07 - Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers remain soft.
09 - Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The powdered sugar coating makes them look like tiny snow-dusted clouds, but they come together with barely any fuss.
- That chewy center paired with the sharp lemon zing is the kind of combination that disappears from a cookie tray in minutes.
02 -
- If you overbake these even by a minute, the chewy center vanishes and you end up with something closer to a biscuit.
- Rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar while your hands are even slightly damp causes clumpy patches instead of that smooth snowy coat.
03 -
- Your butter is properly softened when you press it with a finger and it leaves a small indent without collapsing into a puddle.
- Use a microplane for zesting because it captures only the fragrant outer layer and none of the bitter white pith underneath.