Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies

Recipe Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (2-3 lemons)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Directions

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir together with a fork then set aside

In a large bowl, beat the white granulated sugar and lemon zest with a mixer (standing or handheld) on medium until well combined and sugar is fragrant.

Add the olive oil and butter and beat until creamy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla until combined.

Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients in about 2 batches, mixing just until combined.

Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon fulls of cookie dough into your hands and roll in a shallow dish of extra white sugar, enough to coat it evenly.

Place cookie dough balls in a plastic container lined with foil or parchment paper and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Arrange cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Lightly press down( not too much though)

Bake, switching pans halfway through until cookies are set and tops begin to crackle, 11-13 minutes total.

Let cool for 5-7 minutes on baking sheets before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: no one oven is the same, & different baking sheets bake cookies differently. Keeping this in mind, I will ALWAYS test bake one cookie before baking entire sheets of the whole batch, just to get a good idea of how long they should be in the oven and if I need to adjust the way I’ve cut, rolled them out, etc. I highly recommend that you do the same.)