Lemon Snowdrops

Cody two weeks clean. Mrs. Tilford asked me to teach a small Saturday-morning cooking class at the church. Eight teenagers. The recipe was lemon snowdrops — powdered-sugar-rolled lemon-shortbread cookies. Easy, bright, the kind of cookie a beginner can make in an hour. The class went well. Reimbursement $40.

The recipe is below.

Lemon Snowdrops

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 1 hr (includes chilling) | Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 cup more for rolling
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
2. Add lemon and vanilla. Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Mix in dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
4. Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This keeps the cookies from spreading and makes them easier to roll.
5. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Roll into balls. Scoop the chilled dough by rounded teaspoonfuls and roll between your palms into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the bottoms are just barely golden and the tops look set but not browned. Do not overbake — these should stay pale and tender.
8. Roll in powdered sugar. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes, then roll each one in the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar while still warm so it adheres well. Once fully cooled, roll again for a thick, snowy coating.
9. Store. Layer in an airtight tin between sheets of parchment. These keep at room temperature for up to 5 days — perfect for making ahead of a big holiday gathering.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 98 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 18mg