Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt (fine sea salt)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest (zest of 3-4 medium lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice (for dough)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar), sifted
  • 4–6 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (for glaze)
  • Pinch Salt (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Infuse the Sugar: Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest into the bowl of the stand mixer. Rub the zest into the sugar vigorously with your fingers for about 30 seconds until the sugar smells strongly of lemon and looks slightly damp (this releases the oils).
  3. Cream the Fats and Sugar: Add the softened butter to the lemon sugar. Cream on medium speed until light, fluffy, and pale (3-4 minutes). Scrape down the bowl halfway through.
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Add the 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
  5. Combine: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined. Do not overmix, or the cookies will be tough. The dough will be soft and sticky.
  6. Chill the Dough (Crucial): Cover the dough bowl tightly with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or until firm enough to scoop cleanly.
  7. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Scoop: Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop to form uniform balls of dough. Place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared sheets.
  9. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes. The edges should be set and lightly golden, but the centres should still look slightly soft.
  10. Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them gently to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Make the Glaze: Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the fresh lemon juice, starting with 4 tablespoons. The consistency should be thick but pourable—like single cream. Add a tiny pinch of salt.
  12. Glaze the Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, dip the tops into the glaze. Alternatively, drizzle the glaze over the tops using a fork or spoon.
  13. Set: Allow the glaze to set fully on the wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving or storing.