Lemon Butter Cookies

It's been forever since I've made cookies, but this time of year it's hard to get into the spirit of Christmas without baking some sort of yummy treat. And the day I made these, I went into an all-out baking extravaganza and made some Blackberry Oatmeal Bars and a Pumpkin Crumb Cake too! It was awesome as I listened to Christmas music and baked my heart out. I didn't foresee the future of all this sweetness. I wasn't making them for gifts...it's too early. I was happily making them for me. 
So... guess what's happening now? The things I don't normally eat, ie: dessert, has become it's own food group. I have been eating cake and cookies for breakfast everyday! I even have dessert after my salad at lunch. And at night while watching TV...Jeez...the cookies call out to me and I don't ignore them. I pause my binge watching of Scandal on Netflix and go get cookies! These in particular...Buttery and not too sweet!

Lemon Butter Cookies 

Makes ~30 cookies
Slightly adapted recipe by Simply Whisked


1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2- 3 cups all purpose flour
sugar crystals or powdered sugar topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add lemon juice and zest. Gradually add flour until incorporated. (note: I added a total of 3 cups flour so that the dough could be rolled into balls. It was a bit sticky with only 2 1/2 cups flour.) Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 

Use the back of a fork to imprint the cookies and sprinkle with sugar crystals before baking. If using powdered sugar, dust cookies after baking. 

Bake for 15 minutes until set but not brown.  Cool on a wire rack and serve! Store in an airtight container.

Other Christmas cookie recipes to try:                             

Red Velvet Brownies

Gingerbread Biscotti

Cinnamon Cheesecake Cookies