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Lush Lemon + Basil Sugar Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 100 reviews

These Lush Lemon + Basil Sugar Cookies offer a delightful twist on classic sugar cookies with the fresh, vibrant flavors of lemon zest and basil. Their soft, chewy texture and aromatic basil sugar coating make them an irresistible treat perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (364 grams)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Basil Sugar Mixture

  • 1 3/4 cup white sugar (350 grams)
  • 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves (40 grams)

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter, at room temperature (226 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk

For Rolling

  • 1/4 cup white sugar (50 grams)
  • 5–6 basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) to warm up while preparing the dough.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until fully incorporated. Set aside for later use.
  3. Prepare basil sugar: Using a food processor, pulse the white sugar and fresh basil leaves until the basil is finely ground and the mixture appears bright green. Set this basil sugar aside.
  4. Cream butter: In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter on medium speed for about one minute until it turns fluffy and pale.
  5. Incorporate basil sugar: Add the prepared basil sugar to the butter and continue beating for another 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light in color and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure even mixing.
  6. Add flavorings and eggs: Mix in the vanilla bean paste, lemon zest, egg, and egg yolk. Beat the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes until fully combined, scraping the bowl halfway through for thorough mixing.
  7. Combine flour mixture: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients in batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any remaining dry bits.
  8. Portion dough: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring out 40-gram portions, shape the cookie dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
  9. Make rolling sugar: Blend 1/4 cup white sugar with 5-6 basil leaves to create basil sugar for rolling.
  10. Roll dough balls: Gently roll each cookie dough ball in the basil sugar mixture to coat lightly.
  11. Arrange and bake: Place 5 to 6 cookie dough balls per tray, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until the cookie edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Remove from oven promptly.
  12. Shape cookies while hot: While cookies are still warm, gently nudge them with a cookie cutter to achieve perfectly round shapes.
  13. Cool and serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 5 to 10 minutes. They will firm up but remain soft and chewy. Enjoy your luscious lemon and basil sugar cookies!

Notes

  • Scraping the mixer bowl sides during creaming and mixing ensures even incorporation of ingredients for uniform texture.
  • Removing cookies from the oven when centers are slightly underbaked helps maintain a chewy softness after cooling.
  • Measuring cookie dough balls at 40 grams each promotes consistent cookie size and even baking.
  • Rolling dough in fresh basil sugar adds an aromatic, flavorful crust to the cookies.
  • Using vanilla bean paste instead of extract enhances the cookie’s depth of flavor.

Keywords: Lemon basil sugar cookies, basil sugar, lemon zest cookies, soft sugar cookies, aromatic cookies, baking with basil, lemon cookies

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/lush-lemon-basil-sugar-cookies-recipe/