Description
These tiny lemon-cranberry treats are tender vanilla cookies dotted with fresh cranberries and finished with a bright lemon glaze. The fruit’s tartness balances the sweet coating beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sanding (coarse) sugar, for rolling
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and dried
- Zest of 1 large lemon (reserve the juice separately)
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Beat them together until the sugar takes on a pale yellow hue and smells fragrant.
- Add the softened butter and beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla until everything is smooth and well incorporated.
- Fold in the flour just until a soft dough forms — avoid overworking it.
- Scoop out rounded portions about 2 teaspoons each and roll them into smooth balls. Roll each ball in the sanding sugar to coat, then place them on the prepared sheet, spaced a couple inches apart.
- Press a single fresh cranberry into the center of every cookie, gently pressing so it nests in the dough.
- Bake for roughly 10–11 minutes, until the cookies set and the cranberries have started to blister. Allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with about 2 teaspoons of the reserved lemon juice (add more juice a drop at a time if needed) until you have a pourable glaze.
- Put the glaze into a small resealable bag, snip off a tiny corner, and drizzle in a zigzag over each cookie. Sprinkle a little extra sanding sugar on top if you like. Let the glaze harden before storing.
Notes
Storage tip: Keep cooled, glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–5 days, or freeze in a single layer and transfer to a freezer-safe container for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Calories: 93kcal
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 31mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 18mg