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.