Lemon Cookies are incredibly simple and gorgeous cookies. Do make sure that the butter you use is nice and soft. The cookies can be cut into any kind of shape, such as hearts for Valentine’s Day, numbers for a birthday party or little holly leaves or Christmas trees during the festive season.

Ingredients 

11/2 c (6 oz) all-purpose flour

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, softened

1/4 c (2 oz) superfine sugar

Method 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). 

Put the flour and lemon zest into a mixing bowl, rub in the soft butter, add the sugar and bring the whole mixture together to form a stiff dough. Do not add any water.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut into shapes. 

Transfer carefully to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 6–10 minutes until they are pale golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Tips for Lemon Cookies

I quite often roll out this dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, as I do for pastry. 

Chill the slightly flattened piece of dough before rolling out and then the butter does not stick to the plastic.