Description
These Lemon Cranberry Cookies are a delightful combination of tangy lemon zest and juice with sweet dried cranberries, baked to a perfect light golden brown and finished with a lemon glaze. Soft and flavorful, these cookies are perfect for a refreshing treat or a festive dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- ¾ cup (90.91 g) dried cranberries, chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about a whole lemon)
- ½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Glaze
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix Sugars and Lemon Zest: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the zest is well incorporated into the sugar.
- Cream Butter and Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the softened salted butter to the sugar mixture and beat until light and airy, about 3 minutes. Then add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix again until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly mix in the salt, baking soda, and all-purpose flour. Be careful not to over-mix; stop mixing while you still see some flour remnants around the bowl to avoid tough cookies.
- Fold in Cranberries: Chop the dried cranberries and fold them gently into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Scoop and Chill Dough: Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, form large dough balls. Place them on a tray and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. Chilling helps the flavors develop and dough to firm up for baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for even baking.
- Bake Cookies: Place 6 cookie dough balls on each lined baking sheet, spacing them adequately. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges turn a nice light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
- Glaze the Cookies: Using a pastry brush, brush the lemon glaze over each cooled cookie, or alternatively, dip the cookies into the glaze. Let the cookies sit for a few minutes to allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute orange zest and juice for lemon zest and juice for a different but equally delightful flavor twist.
- Both cup and gram measurements are provided for precision. When measuring flour by cup without a scale, lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup; do not pack it to keep cookies tender and light.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
