Glazed Meyer Lemon Cookies

There's not much excitement going on in the way of fresh produce during the winter, with the exception of Meyer Lemons! I always look forward to Meyer Lemon season. If you're not familiar with Meyer Lemons, the best way to describe them is a cross between a regular lemon and a tangerine. They tend to be smaller in size and have thinner skins, like a tangerine, but the flavor is the perfect combination of the sourness you get from a lemon with the slight sweetness of a tangerine. Whenever they're in season, I love to use them in  baking wherever I would use regular lemons. They also make a delicious curd.

 

 

Recently, I fell in love with these Lemon Glazed Cookies from Mama's Gotta Bake.  And by love, I mean L.O.V.E! (all caps with an exclamation point). Her photos of these cookies made me want to run to the kitchen and make them on the spot, but I knew I wanted to adapt the recipe using my favorite...Meyer Lemons!  My patience, definitely paid off.

 

Whether or not you are a lemon lover (and I know some people are not...Boo!), you will love these cookies. They're tender, chewy and bursting with lemon flavor without being overwhelming or too tart. L.O.V.E!

If you're a fan of Meyer Lemon like I am, you would also enjoy these Fresh Strawberry and Meyer Lemon Scones

 

Glazed Meyer Lemon Cookies
Makes approx. 16-17 large cookies

Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened but still slightly firm
2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon zest (from approx. 3 Meyer lemons)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from approx. 3 Meyer lemons)

Glaze Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar, preferably sifted
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon fresh meyer lemon zest (from approx. 1/2 Meyer lemon)
A few tablespoons of fresh Meyer lemon juice

Directions:

Place the butter and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, you can also use your electric hand mixer. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, approx. 2 minutes.

With mixer at medium speed, gradually add in the granulated sugar and beat until combined, approximately 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of bowl.

Add the lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined. Scrape down the bowl.

With mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches beating just until combined.

Place the cookie dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least a few hours or overnight.

When ready to bake -

Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide the dough evenly into 16 portions, then roll into balls. Place the balls on the baking sheets (no more than 6 per baking sheet) and flatten each ball into a 3" disk using the palm of your hand. If you do not have enough baking sheets for 16 balls of dough, place the remaining balls of dough in the fridge so they don't get too soft.

Bake at 350 for approx. 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the glaze -

Place all of the ingredients (starting with only 3 tablespoons of lemon juice) in a medium size bowl and stir with a spoon until well combined. If the glaze is not proper spreading consistency, add a little more lemon juice and stir. Repeat until you get a thick glaze that is easy to spread, but isn't too thin or runny.

Using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula, spread glaze on each cookie. Allow a few minutes for the glaze to set.