Summer Sweets: Lemon-Basil Butter Cookies

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If you need triple-tested, much-beloved recipes for anything, turn to the experts at Southern Living magazine's test kitchen. Craving cookies? Their new collection is stacked and loaded with everything you need to know to churn out perfect batch after perfect batch. 

Lemon and basil make a great pair in savory dishes, so we figured they'd marry well in a sweet cookie, too. We were right. These delicate cookies have a refreshingly unique flavor that's worth sharing.

Reprinted with permission from The Southern Cookie Book

Summer Sweets: Lemon-Basil Butter Cookies
No Ratings
Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
10
minutes
Servings
6
1/2 dozen
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh lemon-basil leaves (if you can't find lemon-basil, substitute regular fresh basil instead)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 pound butter
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • vegetable cooking spray
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Process basil and 1⁄4 cup sugar in a food processor until blended.
  2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 1⁄2 cups sugar, beating until blended. Add lemon juice and egg, beating until blended. Gradually add flour and basil mixture, beating until blended.
  3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on lightly greased (with cooking spray) baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in remaining 1⁄4 cup sugar.
  4. Bake, in batches, at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
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