Lemony Poppy Seed Cookies

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

I hope that the inspiration for this post will be sufficient explanation for its rather tardy nature; though I know nobody is keeping track, I try to post at least once a week but have rather let the past month get the better of me.

Historically, I have not always been the best at maintaining a healthy work-life balance or prioritizing the self-care for which my beloved Fab Five are always so positively advocating.

So, after I graduated from university, I promised myself that my 9-to-5 would be just that. I tried to set myself up for success by committing myself to volunteer activities and regular social groups — like book clubs — outside of work hours so I wouldn’t be as tempted to work overtime. I adore my friends and family and wanted to make sure that they felt prioritized, too.

Additionally, starting this blog was a way to encourage me to indulge in personal passions, to remind me that it’s okay to do something just because it makes you happy. Baking is my happy place, and I’m so lucky it also helps me express gratitude to the people in my life. Two birds, one stone!

But in all seriousness, that latter point is so important. The people in our lives, our communities, our support systems — we shouldn’t take them for granted. Yet when we prioritize work above all else, we risk neglecting the people we love.

So today’s post is a thank you to you, readers and writers, and fellow Medium users! You each contribute to the beautiful, supportive community that is on this site, and though I’m still new to that community, I appreciate each and every one of you.

Staying on theme, today’s recipe is an adaptation from Medium’s very own and very talented Cooking at Home! This recipe was inspired by their delicious Lemon Butter Cookies. Thank you for always sharing such tempting recipes and reminding this aspiring home chef to get out of the office and into the kitchen!

In fact, thank you to everyone who shares their recipes and their stories, either in the wonderfully collaborative Cookbook for All or anywhere else — I can’t wait to try all your tasty treat ideas!

Until then, happy snacking!

Lemony Poppy Seed Cookies (adapted, just slightly, from the brilliant Cooking at Home)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (253 g) all-purpose flour (note: though I haven’t tested it, I think next time I’ll reduce the flour by 1/4 cup (32 g) just to make sure the cookies stay nice and moist)
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3/4 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 egg
• Juice of 1 lemon (~50 mL), plus more for the glaze, if using
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) confectioner’s sugar, possibly more if using glaze

Protocol:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and poppy seeds.
2. In a medium bowl, zest lemons directly into the granulated sugar, rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add egg and melted butter; beat with a fork until creamy.
3. Add the juice of 1 lemon to your wet mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined and all the flour disappears into one beautiful, homogenous cookie dough; do not overwork the dough.
5. Shape into a ball or log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Scoop or slice chilled cookie dough and shape into balls; recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies, roughly 21 grams or 1 teaspoon each.
8. If not using glaze, roll each dough ball in confectioner’s sugar, then place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet; cookies won’t spread or change shape much in the oven, but we want to provide enough room between cookies for air circulation. If planning to top cookies with glaze, skip the roll in confectioner’s sugar.
9. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until dry on top and golden-brown on the bottom, being careful not to over-bake. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Dust cooled cookies with additional confectioner’s sugar OR top with a lemon glaze. To make the lemon glaze, combine lemon juice with powdered sugar until you have a glaze-like consistency, adding additional lemon zest if desired for an extra bright and citrusy glaze; I would start with 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon, adding more juice or sugar as needed to reach desired consistency for a thick but spreadable glaze.

Happy snacking!