Name: Lemon Sugar Cookies for Easter
Ingredients: 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp; Zest of 1 lemon; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 2 tbsp glucose; 2 eggs; 2 tsp clear vanilla extract; 2 1/2 cups flour; 2/3 cups milk powder; 2 tsp cream of tartar; 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted; 1⁄8 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder (if you have it. If not, just use vanilla extract!); 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cookies:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp glucose
2 eggs
2 tsp clear vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups milk powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

For the Vanilla Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder (if you have it. If not, just use vanilla extract!)
2 tablespoons heavy cream

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Instructions

Make the sugar cookies:

Measure out your sugar into a small bowl, and zest the lemon into it. Massage the lemon zest into the sugar until it is well incorporated and smells strongly of lemon. This step is crucial!
Combine the butter, lemon sugar, and glucose in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.Scrape down the sides, add in the eggs and vanilla and beat for 7-8 minutes.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add in the flour, milk powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together – no longer than 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Using a 2 3/4 oz. ice cream scoop (1/3 cup measure) portion out the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet – you should get 15-20 large balls of dough. Pat the tops of the cookie balls flat – wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 1 week. Do not bake the cookies from room temp – they will not bake properly!
Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the chilled dough at least 4 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes – the cookies will puff, crackle and spread. The cookies should look lightly browned on the edges (golden brown on the bottom) – the centers will show just the beginning signs of color. If they haven’t reached that color yet, leave them in a for an extra minute or two. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before frosting.

Make the frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft, about 1 minute.
Add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, the salt, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated.
Add another 2 cups sugar and the cream. Add remaining 2 cups of sugar as needed to thicken the frosting. Beat on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Frost cookies generously. Fill a bowl with sprinkles. Place cookies frosting side down into bowl of sprinkles and press firmly to coat.

Notes

Cookies adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar; Frosting from Homemade Decadence