Glazed Lemon-Orange Cornmeal Cookies
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1 hour, plus 45 minutes freezing, 20 minutes cooling, and 1 hour standing
Yield
Makes about 30 cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)¼ cup cornmeal ¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold, cut into ½-inch cubes1 large egg yolk ½ teaspoon vanilla extractLemon Glaze
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar (6 ounces/170 grams)Before You Begin
The dough, formed into a log, wrapped in parchment paper, and then in plastic wrap, will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. The cookies are best eaten the day they are glazed.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees.
- In food processor, process granulated sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest until sugar looks damp and zest is thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder; pulse to combine, about 10 one-second pulses. Scatter butter chunks over; pulse until mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 15 one-second pulses. In measuring cup or small bowl, beat together lemon juice, egg yolk, and vanilla with fork to combine. With machine running, add juice/yolk mixture in slow, steady stream (process should take about 10 seconds); continue processing until dough begins to form ball, 10 to 15 seconds longer.
- Turn dough and any dry bits onto counter; working quickly, gently knead together to ensure that no dry bits remain and dough is homogenous. Following illustrations 1 to 3 below, shape dough into log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, wrap dough in parchment, and twist parchment to seal. Chill dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in freezer or 2 hours in refrigerator.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough log from wrapping and, using sharp chef's knife, slice dough into rounds 1/4 inch thick; place on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake until centers of cookies just begin to color and edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature before glazing.
- Whisk cream cheese and lemon juice in medium nonreactive bowl until no lumps remain. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth.
- When cookies have cooled, working one at a time, spoon scant teaspoon glaze onto each cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon. Let cookies stand on wire rack until glaze is set and dry, about 1 hour.
for the cookies
for the glaze
to glaze the cookies
Time
1 hour, plus 45 minutes freezing, 20 minutes cooling, and 1 hour standingYield
Makes about 30 cookiesIngredients
Lemon Cookies
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
¼ cup cornmeal
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar (6 ounces/170 grams)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
¼ cup cornmeal
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar (6 ounces/170 grams)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
¼ cup cornmeal
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar (6 ounces/170 grams)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a lemon cookie recipe with the perfect balance of lemony zing and rich, buttery sweetness, we used all-purpose flour, which made our cookies toothsome and tender. An egg yolk instead of a whole egg added even more tenderness, and a touch of baking powder gave our lemon cookie recipe just the right amount of airy crispness. Grinding some lemon zest with the sugar before adding it to the dough gave our cookies bold lemon flavor without harshness.
Before You Begin
The dough, formed into a log, wrapped in parchment paper, and then in plastic wrap, will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. The cookies are best eaten the day they are glazed.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees.
- In food processor, process granulated sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest until sugar looks damp and zest is thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder; pulse to combine, about 10 one-second pulses. Scatter butter chunks over; pulse until mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 15 one-second pulses. In measuring cup or small bowl, beat together lemon juice, egg yolk, and vanilla with fork to combine. With machine running, add juice/yolk mixture in slow, steady stream (process should take about 10 seconds); continue processing until dough begins to form ball, 10 to 15 seconds longer.
- Turn dough and any dry bits onto counter; working quickly, gently knead together to ensure that no dry bits remain and dough is homogenous. Following illustrations 1 to 3 below, shape dough into log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, wrap dough in parchment, and twist parchment to seal. Chill dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in freezer or 2 hours in refrigerator.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough log from wrapping and, using sharp chef's knife, slice dough into rounds 1/4 inch thick; place on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake until centers of cookies just begin to color and edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature before glazing.
- Whisk cream cheese and lemon juice in medium nonreactive bowl until no lumps remain. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth.
- When cookies have cooled, working one at a time, spoon scant teaspoon glaze onto each cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon. Let cookies stand on wire rack until glaze is set and dry, about 1 hour.
for the cookies
for the glaze
to glaze the cookies
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