Italian Lemon Drop Cookies
Savor the charm of these Lemon Drop Cookies, where every bite takes you to a charming Italian café soaking in the warm sunshine of the Mediterranean. These cookies perfectly blend simplicity and sophistication with a cake texture that crumbles delicately in your mouth releasing bursts of refreshing lemon flavor. The combination of squeezed lemon juice and zest infuses these treats with a tangy essence beautifully balanced by a sweet and velvety glaze that lovingly covers each cookie. Whether enjoyed alongside a cup of espresso or, as an indulgence these cookies are more than just a dessert – they are a tribute, to the happiness and uncomplicated joy found in traditional Italian baking.
24 Servings
Ingredients
For the Cookie:
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ c granulated sugar
- ¼ c unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice from 1 to 2 lemons
- 1 tbsp lemon zest from 1 lemon
- ⅓ c milk
For the Glaze:
- 1 ½ c powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice from ½ lemon
- ½ tbsp lemon zest from ½ lemon
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl cream together the butter and sugar.
- Beat in an egg and vanilla extract, into the butter mixture followed by lemon juice and zest.
- Gradually mix in half of the flour mixture then add milk and finally incorporate the remaining flour.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until brown. Allow them to cool on a wire rack.
For the glaze:
- In a bowl beat together sugar, butter, milk, lemon juice and zest until smooth.
- Spread the glaze, over the cooled cookies.
- Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the glaze to set before serving.
- Enjoy your cookies!
Notes
If you're a fan of the tanginess of Lemon Drop Cookies but require a gluten-free alternative don't worry! You can still savor the citrus flavor by making a substitution. Just swap out the all-purpose flour, with your gluten-free flour blend. Look for a baking flour blend that mimics the properties of flour in a one-to-one ratio. These blends usually consist of rice flour, potato starch and xanthan gum ensuring that your cookies maintain their cake-like texture. Keep in mind that each gluten-free flour blend behaves differently so consider your batch as an exciting experiment to discover the perfect balance of texture and taste.