[Cookie 077] Lemon Poppyseed Crisps

I don't know why I've been having trouble writing this post. I have nothing to say. Hmm. Well, I guess I'll just talk about the cookies.

I was surprised at how really lemony these cookies are! I guess it makes sense since you reduce the lemon juice so it gets very concentrated, and then you add a bunch of lemon rind too, which leaves you with quite a tart dough. I loved it! Nothing worse than a cookie that claims to have a certain flavor and then you can barely taste it (remember the Mocha Shortbread ?).

And the poppyseeds are really a nice touch--they not only give the cookie a pleasant little crunch, but they taste good and get stuck in your teeth! I love all things lemon + poppyseed, like tea cakes and muffins and quick breads and all that, and these cookies taste just like all of those.

One bug with them was how they never fully became crisp like the name suggests. Whenever this happens, I always wonder if it was actually my own fault or the recipes--it can be either, or both, who knows.

Also, an important note: refrigerate the dough a bit before you start rolling it into balls or you won't be able to work with it. It's very wet at first, but solidifies nicely when cooled, so just make sure you do that first. Then you can roll the dough into nice little spheres with ease! Problem solved. I check the MS website for the recipe and a lot of people in the comments complained about this exact problem, and many had this same solution, so I'll save you some time and worry by telling you up front. You can thank me later, or now--whenever, really.

Okay, sorry this post is so dry and bland. The cookies aren't! You should make them! They are drop dead easy, tasty, and different. So get on it and use up those random lemons you have hanging around. Okay, bye. Talk to you later. Ciao.

Lemon Poppyseed Crisps

Makes about 30

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons)
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced by half. Add 1 stick butter; stir until melted.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream remaining stick butter and 1 cup sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix in egg and lemon butter. Mix until pale, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla and 2 teaspoons zest. Mix in flour mixture and poppy seeds.
3. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest. Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll them in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each with the flat end of a glass dipped in sugar mixture until 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with seeds.
4. Bake until just browned around bottom edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 1/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 4/5
Tastiness: 4/5
Attractiveness: 3.5/5
Is it worth it?: Yeah! They're so quick and easy that even if you don't like them (you will), it won't take too much effort.

{Pairings}
Drink: Tea, maybe some English Breakfast or other black tea

Song: Yellow -- All Natural Lemon and Lime Flavors
Activity: These travel great, so get on your bike and put some of these in a cute box and go have a picnic already--jeez!