Lemon Sprinkle Cookies

I have a confession to make....

I have never made cookies! Distressing, I know!

Now, this isn't 100% accurate as I have made both Gingerbread and Shortbread before. But I've never baked a simple cookie to put in a cookie jar and dip in milk or coffee or whatever dipping beverage you choose.

Funnily enough, I love cookies. They are one of my favourite snacks in the world and it is so rare to eat a bad cookie.

So when reading Sprinklebakes' blog, I stumbled across the cutest looking cookies I have ever seen. They were so colorful! I just had to have some.

And so I set out to bake my first ever cookie. Low and behold, Lemon Sprinkle Cookies!!!

Lemon Sprinkle Cookies
(Adapted from Sprinklebakes' recipe)

Ingredients:
225g of butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon essence
2 cups plain flour
Pinch of sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon
(Millions and Trillions of) 100's and 1000's


1. Beat butter in mixer on medium until lighter in color. Add caster sugar and beat again until combined. Add vanilla and lemon essence.
2. Beat in the flour, salt and lemon zest. The dough should not be sticky and should have a smooth consistency. The dough should hold when squeezed together.
3. Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball and then roll in the 100's and 1000's until covered. Place in a freezer safe dish, seal or glad wrap and freeze overnight (if you need them quickly, you can skip freezing. The cookies will be flatter and only require 12- 15 minutes baking).
4. Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
5. Place baking paper on a baking tray. Remove cookies from freezer and arrange approx 5cm apart on the tray.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden. They should still be soft when pressed.
7. When tray has cooled and you are able to comfortably touch it, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool further.

Don't forget the dough should not be sticky and should have a smooth consistency. Hopefully yours will look the same as above. If you have not achieved this and it is too sticky add some flour, if you have the opposite and the dough is still dry, try adding a little more butter.

I used my tablespoon measuring attachment to separate my dough. Luckily for me it is also a nice rounded shape that made rolling the mixture oh so easy.

Roll your dough in the 100's & 1000's so they are covered and all kinds of pretty colors.

Place all your rolled cookies onto a plate and wrap with plastic, or into a freezer safe container. 

Place the plate in your freezer for at least 5 hours. I left mine overnight.

Voila! Lovely, delicious, spectacular looking cookies!

I hope you enjoy baking these as much as I did.

Please let me know how you go.