Lemon cookies are shortbread cookies with lemons and almonds, zesty and spicy. Great with tea.
Two whole large lemons, grated or cut-up in a meat grinder, a handful of whole almonds (optional), a cup (or two) of sugar, a half of a teaspoon of baking soda, 3/4 of a butter stick (three ounces) three to four cups of flour. Makes about fifty cookies.
Grate or grind your lemons. Cut room-temperature butter into small pieces and pulse it with three cups of flour in a food processor. If you don't have one, pour the flour on a large cutting board and cut the butter in with a knife. Or mix flour and butter with your bare hands in a large bowl. Add sugar and mix it in. Cut almonds with some flour in a food processor or crush them with a rolling pin. Add to the flour and butter mixture. Add baking soda. The mixture should be very dry and crumbly. If mixing on a board, form mixture into a pile. Mix in grated lemons. The dough will become just moist enough to stick together and hold some shape. If it turns out too wet, add more flour. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least thirty minutes. Shape dough in a one- to two-inch balls, flatten a little bit and bake for 20 minutes at 425F. You will need two baking sheets. I always line my sheets with parchment paper, but I don't think these cookies will stick to anything. Let the cookies cool down before serving, they are much better this way.
See also: kitchen, almond macaroons, lemon pie.