These cookies have it all!

-Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside
-Just perfectly sweet
-Tartness from the juice and pungent pop from the lemon peel
-Toasty caramelized sugar on top
-Will keep for a week without getting soggy (because of the way the lemon slices were prepped)
-PLUS, this cookie is a looker!

Step 1: Lemon Slicing

In order to prevent the cookies from being soggy, the lemon slices need to be boiled in sugar water first to preserve them and remove the moisture. A simple and necessary first step.

6-8 Meyer Lemons
1½ cups granulated sugar
2½ cups water

Use a sharp knife to cut the lemon slices as thin as possible; they should *just hold together. Some of the slices might break apart; this is okay, you can form them into a circle again on the cookie. If they are all breaking, try to cut them just a hair thicker so they don’t come apart.

You will need about 48 lemon slices (about 8 good ones from each lemon). I tend to always make a few extra- if you don't use them, you can always just eat them like candy!

Step 2: Cooking the Lemon Slices

In a medium pot combine the sugar and water and bring to a light boil. Add the lemon slices to the sugar water and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, or until the pith (white part between the lemon peel and meat) becomes translucent.

Using a kitchen tongs, remove the lemon slices from the pot and place them in a single layer on a piece of wax or parchment paper to cool.

As a side note: you now have lemon syrup! (Lemon drop martini, anyone?)

Step 3: Making the Cookie Dough

Lemon Sugar Cookie Dough
10 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp Meyer Lemon zest
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
extra granulated sugar, for rolling

With an electric mixer beat together the butter, olive oil, and granulated sugar until it starts to become fluffier. Add in the eggs, one a time, and mix until each one is fully incorporated and then add in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest and mix until everything is well-combined.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined; do not over-mix.

Step 4: Forming the Cookies

Fill a small bowl with about ½ cup granulated sugar. To make the cookies take about two teaspoons of dough and roll it into a ball between your hands. Lightly roll the dough ball in the granulated sugar and then place it on a cookie sheet.

Use two fingers to gently flatten the ball just slightly.

Place one the of the cooked lemon slices on each dough ball and use the bottom of a cup to flatten the cookie a little more and press the lemon slice into the dough. Do not over-flatten the dough; a good guideline is to not flatten the dough to be bigger than the lemon slice.

Place the cookies two inches apart. When the cookie sheet is full, place it in the freezer to chill for 15-20 minutes.

Step 5: Torching!

Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Right when the cookies come out of the oven, use a kitchen torch to gently toast the lemon slice and the top of the cookie; don’t let them get too dark and burnt. Let the cookies cool for just a minute on the pan and the move them to a cooling rack.