Lemon Thins

Five ingredients. That’s all that stands between you and a batch of crispy, buttery lemon cookies. Butter, sugar, eggs, sifted flour, and lemon extract come together in a batter so simple it barely qualifies as a recipe, but the result is a thin, lacy cookie with crisp edges and a tender center.

The key to these is creaming the butter and sugar until truly light and fluffy. That step incorporates air into the batter, which is the only leavening these cookies have. No baking powder, no baking soda. Just well-creamed butter doing all the work.

Two teaspoons of lemon extract gives a punch of citrus that’s brighter and more concentrated than lemon zest alone. The cookies spread thin on the sheet, so that 2-inch spacing between drops is essential. They’ll bake until golden brown around the edges while the centers stay just slightly soft. Let them firm up on the pan for a minute before transferring, or they’ll break apart.

Kitchen Tips

• Sift the flour before measuring for a lighter, more delicate cookie. Unsifted flour can make them dense
• Use real butter, not margarine. The flavor is front and center in a cookie this simple
• Watch them closely in the oven. These go from golden to burned fast because they’re so thin
• Cool on the wire rack completely before stacking. They’ll stick together if stored while still warm

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest to the batter for visible lemon flecks and extra citrus oil
• Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted white chocolate for an elegant finish
• Replace lemon extract with almond extract for a completely different flavor profile