Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does cream of tartar do to sugar cookies? ›

Cream of tartar makes cookies chewy, as it precludes the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, which would lead to crispiness (ie: the opposite of chewiness).

The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer. Once the dry ingredients are added, less mixing equals more tender cookies.

One other thing to keep in mind when substituting lemon extract for lemon juice: Because of its greater liquid volume, lemon juice adds some moisture to the recipe – so add water to compensate. More specifically, add one part lemon extract and one part water for every two parts lemon juice you're replacing.

Powdered sugar has a much finer texture and a higher cornstarch content, which can absorb moisture and lead to a drier, crumbly cookie texture. If you use powdered sugar in place of granulated sugar, you'll likely end up with cookies that are more cake-like and less chewy.

You can also simply leave out the cream of tartar from a recipe, which may result in baked goods that are not as fluffy, but will still work out and taste good.

Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown. Adding too little sugar can affect the taste and texture of cookies. Adding too much can cause them to be brittle. Take your time creaming the sugar and butter together at the beginning.

The ingredients you used could be the culprit – using different sugars, melted butter, baking powder or baking soda can alter a cookie's texture and taste.

What ingredient should be replaced in lemon juice? ›

1. Lime juice. Lime juice is the best substitute for lemon juice, as it can be used as a one-to-one replacement and has a very similar taste and acidity level ( 5 ). In fact, when canning or preserving food, it's the ideal substitute for lemon juice because it has a similar pH level.

When a baking soda is mixed with the lemon juice then Carbon dioxide ( ) gas is released in the form of bubbles. As the chemical composition of the substance is getting changed and as the new product is formed by the mixing. Therefore, it is a Chemical change.

Substitute lemon extract for lemon juice at a 1/2:1 ratio and replace the rest with water. ½ part lemon extract and ½ part water for each 1 part lemon juice. Substitute lemon zest at a 1/2:1 ratio and replace the rest with water. ½ part lemon zest and ½ part water for each 1 part lemon juice.

Keep Them Sealed

The key to keeping cookies fresh and soft is to seal them in an airtight container, like a resealable freezer bag. And here's a nifty little trick: add a piece of bread to the bag.

As the biscuits rise, the carbon dioxide gas expands, creating pressure on the dough. This pressure can cause the dough to collapse without proper support. Cream of Tartar helps stabilize the dough structure, ensuring the biscuits maintain their shape and rise uniformly.

Achieving a good rise is essential for light and airy bread. Cream of tartar acts as a natural leavening agent when combined with baking soda. When the cream of tartar reacts with baking soda and moisture in the dough, carbon dioxide gas is released, causing the bread to rise.