Description
These delightful Cool Whip Cookies combine a tender buttery base with fresh lemon zest and juice for a light, refreshing flavor. Rolled generously in castor and icing sugar, these cookies have a slightly cracked surface and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Perfect for tea time or a light dessert, they bake quickly at 180°C and yield a batch of sweet, zesty treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 300 grams of flour
- 6 grams baking powder
- Castor sugar for rolling
- Icing sugar for rolling
Wet Ingredients
- 110 grams of butter (softened)
- 120 grams of sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 lemon (45 ml juice + zest)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large salad bowl, place the softened butter and add the egg yolks. Use a mixer to beat until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Lemon and Sugar: Zest the lemon and add the zest to the butter and egg mixture. Squeeze 45 ml of lemon juice and pour it in. Then add the sugar and continue beating until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is homogenous.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the wet mixture. Mix thoroughly until the dough becomes compact and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, indicating it is ready.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with the dough and place it in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes. This helps the dough firm up for easier handling and improves texture when baked.
- Form the Cookies: Once chilled, take the dough out and roll it into small balls about 3 cm in diameter. Arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet, leaving enough space between each to allow for expansion during baking.
- Coat with Sugar: Roll each dough ball first in castor sugar and then in icing sugar to give the cookies a sweet and crackled sugar coating.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the coated dough balls on the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies will swell and crack on the surface but should not brown; for best texture, bake for 12 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking tray before handling or serving. This sets their shape and texture, making them perfect for enjoying with tea or as a snack.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Rolling the cookies in two types of sugar creates a beautiful crackled look and adds texture.
- The lemon juice and zest add a fresh, bright flavor that complements the sweetness perfectly.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be pale and just crackled, not browned.
- Chilling the dough prior to baking helps prevent spreading and improves cookie texture.
