Delicious Lemon and Cherry Cookies

1. One and a half cups of all-purpose flour
2. Half a teaspoon of baking soda
3. Half a teaspoon of salt
4. 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
5. One cup of sugar granules
6. One huge egg
7. One tablespoon of lemon zest, or roughly one lemon
8. Two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon
9. One teaspoon of vanilla extract
10. Half a cup of drained and sliced maraschino cherries
11. Half a cup of semi-sweet or white chocolate chips (optional)
12. Regarding the optional glaze:
13. Half a cup of powdered sugar
14. For the correct consistency, add one or two teaspoons of fresh lemon juice.
15. 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Warm up the oven:

• Set the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F). Use silicone baking mats or parchment paper to line two baking sheets.

Prepare the dough:

• Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Put aside.
• Using an electric mixer set to medium speed, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a different large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg. Beat until everything is well blended.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet components a little at a time, mixing until the dough forms and no dry patches remain. The dough should have a tiny stickiness and be soft.
• Add the chocolate chips (if using) and chopped maraschino cherries and fold gently.

Form and bake the cookies:

• Place rounded portions of dough, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets that have been prepped. The dough can be shaped into balls using two spoons or a cookie scoop.
• Since these cookies don’t spread much when baked, gently flatten each one with your fingertips or the back of a spoon.
• The cookies should be baked for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown. As they cool, the centers will solidify, but they should still appear somewhat mushy.
• After taking the cookies out of the oven, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Prepare the glaze (if desired):

• Combine the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and powdered sugar in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
• Over the chilled cookies, use a spoon or a tiny piping bag to drizzle the glaze. For a more striking look, you can also dip the cookie tops into the glaze.

Serve and savor!

• The cookies are ready to eat once the glaze, if using, has set. These cookies are tender, sugary, and overflowing with the flavor of fresh cherries and lemon!

Advice:

• Chilling the dough: To make it easier to form and scoop, place the dough in the refrigerator for around half an hour if it is too sticky to deal with.
• Cherry substitution: You can substitute frozen or fresh cherries for the maraschino cherries if you’d like. To keep the dough from getting too wet, just make sure to cut them finely and use a paper towel to wipe away any extra wetness.
• Vegan or dairy-free: To make these cookies dairy-free, use a flax egg (1 tablespoon flax meal combined with 3 tablespoon water) in place of the egg and replace the butter with a dairy-free alternative.
• With their lovely harmony of sweet, tart, and citrusy flavors, these delicious cherry lemon cookies are a wonderful treat for any occasion!