12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Lemon Snickerdoodles

Mr. Sprinkles is a HUGE fan of the snickerdoodle, so when I saw a lemon version I just knew I had to give it a try.  The end result is fresh, clean, chewy, lemony goodness and a new Mr. Sprinkles favorite.  You can roll them in traditional sanding sugar but I had some left over white/clear sanding sugar from the engagement ring cookies that I thought would add a nice crunch.  You could also substitute turbinado sugar (raw sugar) if you don't mind it's brown hue.  I'm going to try making these with Meyer lemons sometime.  If you try that before I do, be sure to let me know how they turn out.  I hope you enjoy them as much as he does!

Lemon Snickerdoodles
Makes 3 dozen

• 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• zest of two large lemons
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup coarse/turbinado/sanding/granulated sugar for rolling

1. Zest your lemons over your mixing bowl to capture any of the oils released. (Be careful to remove only the lemon's zest and not the bitter white pith. Blech!)
2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand beaters), cream together the butter, lemon zest and sugar on medium-high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the cream of tartar and baking soda then the flour, mixing until it forms a uniform dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, form into a rectangle and wrap in plastic. Place the dough into the refrigerator and allow to chill for several hours or over night.
4. When you're ready to roll and bake, pre-heat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mats.
5. Roll your dough into walnut sized balls (1 inch) and then roll each in a bowl of sugar.
6. Arrange the balls on your pan, giving them plenty of room to spread. Pat them down slightly.
7. Bake the cookies for 9 minutes (chewy) or 10 minutes (crunchy).  
8. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.