Summer lemons in a window

My “go-to” therapy is playing my piano or baking when I have something challenging to work through. As hot as it was in Iowa when we were there on vacation a few weeks ago, I baked up a storm. Coincidentally, it did storm with all kinds of crazy thunder and lightning.

As I considered how joy and grief could exist simultaneously, I mixed up a batch of one of my favorite summertime lemon cooler cookies. They are small, tangy sweet lemon cookies rolled in confectioners’ sugar and go perfectly with a cup of tea or a glass of ice tea under the shade of a pine tree on a hot summer day. Originally these cookies were made by the brothers Jacob and Joseph Loose at their Sunshine Bakery. Opened in 1912 in Long Island City, NY, until 1955, the bakery remained the world’s largest. My first introduction to lemon coolers was a boxed version I bought at TJMaxx. It wasn’t until several years later that I made them myself. When you have the time, freshly made tastes so much better. They’re a snap to make.

Over my years of baking, I’ve tweaked today’s recipe. I think you’ll find these cookies addictive. Not medically addictive, but you know, deliciously addictive. So much addictive that you may find yourself getting up in the middle of the night to carefully and quietly lift the cookie jar lid to sneak a cookie or two.

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Summer Sunshine Lemon Cooler Cookies

These cookies have a light, delicate flavor sensation that pairs well with a cup of hot tea or in the shade of a tree with a glass of iced tea. Enjoy!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cool slightly before rolling in confectioner's sugar 3 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 143kcal
Cost $7

Equipment

  • 1 Medium sized bowl
  • 1 Hand mixer, mixing spoon, or stand mixer
  • 1 Cookie Sheet Optional parchment paper and 2 cookie sheets
  • 1 Small bowl For rolling cookies in confectioner's sugar
  • 1 Pot holder
  • 1 Spatuala Bowl scraper
  • 1 Knife Optional for slicing cookie dough into discs
  • 1 Teaspoon sized cookie scoop

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs Yolks
  • 1 cup Confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tsps. Baking Powder
  • 1 tsps. Himalayan salt
  • 2 Tbsp. Arrowroot
  • 2 1/2 cups Regular baking flour
  • 2 tsps. Lemon zest 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup Lemon juice, fresh

Instructions

  • In a medium mixing bowl, add room temperature butter, granulated sugar, lemon zest, salt, egg yolk, and fresh lemon juice. Beat together until light and fluffy.
  • In another medium mixing bowl, add flour, arrowroot, and baking powder. Mix these with a mixing spoon until well blended. Add this mixture to the first mixture. Blend well with mixer or mixing spoon. Then beat for 2 minutes.
  • Cover the dough with an airtight wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. These can be mixed ahead and baked the next day.
  • Preheat oven to 350F (180C) Remove dough from refrigerator and scoop dough to make small balls and place on parchment-lined (optional) cookie sheet. Flatten each one with a sugared glass bottom or the palm of your hand.
  • Bake in preheated oven 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to safely handle to roll in confectioner's sugar until nicely coated. I like the sugar thick enough that you don't see the cookie! This may take a second roll in the sugar. The first sugar may melt; roll again until you have the desired effect.

Notes

Use unsalted butter. Substitutes will ruin the classic flavor. A small cookie scoop is quick and assures the cookies are consistent in size and will bake evenly. Beating the first ingredients and using arrowroot makes a soft, tender cookie with a crisp edge.
Alternatively, instead of using a cookie scoop, the dough can be rolled into a log, then sliced discs.
Using limes or a combination of lemons and limes (use one of each) works well, too. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg