Lemon Danish Dandies

These Danish butter cookies use an unusual ingredient that makes all the difference: hard-boiled eggs sieved into the dough instead of raw eggs. The cooked egg yolks add richness and a sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture without any of the structure that raw eggs bring. It’s an old Scandinavian technique that creates an exceptionally tender, crumbly cookie.

Lemon zest brightens the buttery dough, and a whole blanched almond pressed into the center of each ball gives every cookie a focal point and a nutty crunch. The corn syrup glaze brushed on before baking creates a subtle, glossy sheen that catches the light.

The overnight chill (or 3-hour freeze) is not optional. This dough is very soft from all that butter and egg yolk, and it needs to be cold and firm before you can roll it into balls without it sticking to your hands.

Chef Tips

• Sieve the hard-boiled eggs through a fine mesh strainer or process them in a food processor until finely crumbled. Any lumps will show in the finished cookie.
• Flour your hands generously when rolling. Even chilled, this dough warms up fast from body heat.
• Pull the cookies at “barely golden," just the faintest edge of color. They continue to set as they cool. Overbaked dandies lose their delicate, sandy texture.
• Warm the corn syrup just enough to thin it. Too hot and it runs off the cookies. Just warm and it brushes on in a thin, even coat.

Variations

• Swap lemon zest for orange zest and use a blanched hazelnut instead of an almond.
• Dust finished cookies lightly with powdered sugar for an extra-elegant holiday presentation.
• Add a pinch of cardamom to the dough for a more traditional Scandinavian flavor.