Lemon Ginger Zingers

Fresh lemon juice and zest combine with crystallized ginger to create a zesty drop cookie dough. The finishing touch for the Lemon Ginger Zingers is a crunchy topping of sugar-coated lemon peel, added just before baking.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest, freshly grated and divided
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In bowl of electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add ginger, egg, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon zest; beat until combined.
5. Gradually add flour mixture; mix well. Cover dough and chill for 30 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine remaining zest and superfine sugar; set aside.
7. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons, 2 inches apart, onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Dip the bottom of a glass into the lemon sugar mixture and flatten dough; repeat for all cookies.
8. Place remaining lemon sugar mixture in a sifter and sift additional sugar over each cookie.
9. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until edges begin to brown.
10. Allow cookies to cool on sheet for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Remove to a cooling rack; cool completely.
12. Store at room temperature in an airtight container with wax paper between layers for up to 1 week.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.