Sugar Cookies

These cookies are soft and chewy with a hint of lemon and a bit of crunch from the coarse sugar which they are rolled in. I also like the 'crackly effect' on top. They are a nice addition on a cookie plate at Christmas or you can bag them up for gift giving.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice or lemon extract
finely grated peel of 1 lemon
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
coarse or regular sugar for rolling cookies

1) Beat butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy
2) Add egg, vanilla, lemon juice and grated lemon peel and mix well
3) Stir together dry ingredients in a small bowl and add gradually to the creamed mixture until well blended
4) Form rounded tsp of dough into balls and roll in coarse or regular sugar...I used coarse..it looks more sparkly
5) Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for 8 to 10 min, just until lightly browned on the bottom..that is if you want them soft and chewy.
I baked some a bit longer until they were lightly browned on top but then it resulted in a crispier cookie..still good but I wanted chewy!
6) Once out of the oven allow them to cool slightly on the pan before removing them to a cooling rack.

Yields: 3 to 4 doz depending on size