Not long before Christmas and you can see it everywhere around you: shop windows fully decorated, hopeful kids sending their Santa letters, Christmas plants on sale, 3×2 on alcoholic drinks – because everyone knows the holidays can also be stressful -… You get the gist. In my case, there’s amazon lists being shared and constantly checking my online banking status – did we get paid yet?! -, settling plans that have been on the make since months ago, and buying Christmas cards (yes, I keep this ancient tradition alive). Also looking forward to the Christmas brunch in the office: everyone brings/makes something and then we all pig out in the conference room, otherwise reserved for respectable business meetings.
Lemon is one of my favourite ingredients, no matter what the type of food might be, I just have to have it. And cinnamon is an all year round loved spice but especially around Christmas, I mean, I cannot think of any other spice more Christmassy than this. Just imagine the smell that this recipe will bring to your home…
- 950g / 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 5g / 1 tsp. baking soda
- 5g / 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. lemon rind
- 355g / 1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter (melted)
- 475g / 2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 120g / 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3 eggs
- Cream melted butter, and both the brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.
- Add in vanilla, cinnamon, lemon rind and eggs and mix.
- Finally add the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Optional: Freeze/refrigerate for at least 24 hours. This will deepen the flavours and make the cookies go from good to HEAVENLY!
- Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350F. Line the baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- With the help of an ice-cream scoop (or just a spoon) place the scoops of dough 1,5cm apart as they spread while baking.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 175°C / 350F or until golden brown. Let sit on baking sheets for a few minutes to allow them to harden before transferring to cooling racks. Otherwise they might fall apart before you’ve had a chance to try them!
I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! This recipe has been office tested and heartily approved. These little cookies are perfect to put into decorative little bags and give them out as homemade Christmas gifts, as I like to do.
