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Lush Lemon + Basil Sugar Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 135 reviews

These Lush Lemon + Basil Sugar Cookies are a delightful twist on classic sugar cookies, featuring fresh basil leaves and zesty lemon for a refreshing and vibrant flavor. Soft, chewy, and slightly tangy with hints of herbal sweetness, they are perfect for any occasion and easy to make with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

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

Basil Sugar

  • 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: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cookies.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together until evenly incorporated and then set aside for later use.
  3. Create Basil Sugar: Using a food processor, blitz the white sugar and fresh basil leaves until the basil is finely ground and the sugar turns a bright green color. 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 becomes fluffy and pale in color.
  5. Combine Butter and Basil Sugar: Add the prepared basil sugar to the creamed butter and continue beating for another 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light in color and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
  6. Add Flavorings and Eggs: Mix in the vanilla bean paste, lemon zest, egg, and egg yolk. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  7. Incorporate Flour Mixture: Gradually add the dry flour mixture in batches to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. Mix until just combined, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to avoid any dry flour remaining.
  8. Form Cookie Dough Balls: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring 40 grams per dough ball, portion out the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking tray.
  9. Prepare Basil Rolling Sugar: Mix the 1/4 cup white sugar with 5-6 chopped basil leaves to create the basil sugar for rolling. Gently roll each cookie dough ball in this basil sugar mixture to coat lightly.
  10. Arrange and Bake: Place 5 to 6 dough balls per baking tray, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the edges are set but centers still look slightly underbaked. This helps keep the cookies chewy and soft.
  11. Shape and Cool: While the cookies are still hot, use a cookie cutter to gently scoot and round the edges of the cookies for a uniform shape. Let them cool on the tray for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Scraping the sides of the mixing bowl during beating ensures all ingredients are evenly combined.
  • Removing cookies from the oven while slightly underbaked in the center helps maintain chewiness after cooling.
  • Using fresh basil in both the dough and sugar coating infuses a vibrant herbal flavor that pairs wonderfully with lemon zest.
  • Weighing the dough for uniform cookie sizes helps achieve consistent baking results.
  • Cooling cookies on the baking tray allows them to firm up without losing their softness.

Keywords: lemon basil cookies, sugar cookies, lemon zest cookies, basil sugar cookies, soft cookies, homemade cookies, herbal cookies, lemon desserts

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