Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light-brown sugar

1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.

Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds.

Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, the vanilla and the lemon juice.

Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

Scoop the dough with a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop. Space the cookies at least 2 inches a part on parchment-lined baking sheets. (These cookies spread when baked.)

Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula.

Sprinkle the tops with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush; sprinkle with more sanding sugar.

Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes.

Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes.

Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.