Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, when I was a senior in a college and trying ever so hard to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, I ate a lemon cookie in the cafeteria. It was chewy, moist, and replete with lemonyness. I've been trying to re-create it ever since, and I stumbled upon this recipe in the process.

Lemon cookies should taste of lemon first, sugar second, with vanilla just a hair behind in third place, and these cookies do exactly that. They're lightly sweet and citrusy, and the poppy seeds give just the right amount of earthy balance to the sweetness. They're perfect for an afternoon snack, or - as is my case - an afternoon bridal shower. The recipe makes thirty, making it perfect for sharing. And may I also just add that they're heavenly when eaten with breakfast tea?

Being the totally on top-of-it person that I am, I had all the ingredients on hand to make the original recipe from Martha Stewart. Not. So I tweaked the original recipe and came up with something just as delicious. And way, way simpler.

Helpful Tips:

I didn't have the fresh lemons the original recipe called for, but lo and behold, my fabulous mum had lemon extract which I used instead. I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons of extract because these are, after all, lemon cookies and you want them to shout "Lemons!" from the rooftops; not whisper it in the basement.

This recipe is especially easy to make ahead of an event. Simply freeze the dough, then slice and bake.

The original recipe is a bit fussy. You're supposed to roll the dough into a 1 1/2 balls, then make a sugar-lemon zest mixture, then dip the bottom of a glass in the mixture and flatten each dang cookie. Ain't nobody got time for dat. So instead, just scoop out the cookies with a cookie scoop, two spoons, or your fingers. Whatever gets the job done. Then forget about the sugar mixture and flattening business; bake your cookies and eat them . . . unless of course, you do in fact have time for that. In which case, you should go for it.

Please note that if you choose the freeze and bake method that your cookies will naturally be very flat.

Also. This has nothing to do with the recipe, but I feel I should tell you that Martha Stewart has done a redesign of their website and I think it's simple and lovely all at once. Check it out - especially their craft section which is remarkable.

Easy Lemon Poppy-Seed Cookies

Tweaked from Martha Stewart
Yield: 30

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Slowly mix in flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Spoon onto cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes.