Meyer Lemonade Cookies

My kids and I had fun making these today.  They are light, slightly crispy, soft and cakey, super flavorful and really lemony!  They taste just like Summer:)  If you don't have Meyer lemons, regular lemons will work just fine.  Also, if you don't have sparkling sugar to sprinkle on them, regular granulated sugar will work.  However, you want to let the cookies cool before sprinkling.  Hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

Meyer Lemonade Cookies
Makes about 70 small cookies


Lemon Syrup:
3/4 cup strained lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Cookie Batter:
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

1/3 cup of reserved lemon syrup
Sparkling sugar for sprinkling

For the syrup:

Combine juice, sugar and corn syrup in a non reactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.  When all the sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and cool to room temperature.
When it is cool, stir in the lemon zest and set 1/3 cup of this syrup aside to use after the cookies are baked.

When the syrup has cooled and been divided, start making the cookies:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir well and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until combined and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating smooth after each addition.  Lower the speed and beat in half the flour mixture, then the lemon syrup (don't add reserved 1/3 cup,) and the remaining flour mixture.

Remove bowl from the mixer and give the batter one final mix with a rubber spatula.

Drop teaspoonfuls of batter 3 or 4 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are slightly light golden.

While they are still hot, brush cookies with the reserved lemon syrup and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.