Lemony Crackle Cookies

I am totally into lemons right now. Maybe because it is so dreary out right now and the smell and taste of lemons just makes me feel awake and cheery.

I have also been doing some reading on the benefit of lemons in your daily diet (benefits from immune-boosting to infection fighting) so I am trying to incorporate lemon juice and lemon zest into as much as I can.

Today was especially cool and dreary, so I wanted to make some cookies with a zing! I hope you like these as much I do - they turned out soft and light - like Summer in my mouth.

                                           * I do really need to stop taking pictures with my camera phone...                     

What You'll Need (2 dozen):

• MixMaster or hand blender
• 1/2 cup of softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar (I used 3/4 cup of my xylitol-based Ideal No Calorie Sweetener and 1/4 cup of sugar)
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbps fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

What You'll Do:

• Preheat your oven to 350 (175F)
• Lightly grease your cookie sheet, or use a non-stick sheet
• Cream your butter and sugar until fluffy looking
• Add in your vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest
• Crack your egg into a small cup (to check if it is good), lightly stir with a fork then add into your mixture
• Scrape down the sides of your bowl then mix again
• In a separate bowl, combine your salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour
• Stir until combined
• Slowly add the dry mixture into your wet mixture, scraping down the sides occasionally to ensure everything is fully mixed in
• Measure your powdered sugar into a bowl
• If your dough seems little too soft, do not add more flour - just let the mixture set in the fridge for 20 minutes, covered
• Roll small dough balls, approximately the size of a 2Euro coin/2Dollar coin
• Place the ball into the powdered sugar to cover
• Place the balls evenly spaced on your sheet (I fit 12 per sheet)
• Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on your oven - you want them cooked through, but not over done. Ideally you should remove them when the top is no longer glossy looking and when the bottoms have just started to lightly brown
• Let cool for a few minutes then move to a cooling rack
• Enjoy...with a nice cup of tea (with lemon in it, of course!;)

Martha would love these cookies as they are pretty, have a nice, light taste and are fancy - just like her.

The STEWART SCORE:
Appearance: 1.5 (they look a whisper scabby, rather than 'crackly')
Taste: 2
Ease: 2

What is Xylitol?

When I started the Dukan diet, a lot of the recipes called for artificial sweeteners. I don't like the taste of these, they always seem to leave a chemical aftertaste. There is a lot of reading to be done on the risks and benefits of these sweeteners, but I don't use them because they make my food taste bad.

In speaking with a friend, she recommended a naturally-occurring sweetener, called Xylitol.

Doing some reading on this sweetener before I bought it, I learned it is a naturally-occurring sugar substitute that can be found in things like oats, fruits and the mighty birch tree!

It is an organic compound that when extracted and processed creates a white granule (that looks like a finer sugar).

There are dentists that say it is good for the health of your teeth as it, unlike sugar, does not convert to an acid in your mouth and therefore does not promote tooth decay. Reports say it helps to stabilize insulin levels without the negative side effects of sugar. It is low in calories and, in baking and cooking, tastes just like sugar without a chemical aftertaste.
When limited in quantity (under 50g a day) everything I have read says it is a completely safe alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. It is not, however safe for pets - so don't sneak Fido anything you make using it.

Here are some of the best sources of information I have found, if you would also like to do some research of your own:
Wikipedia

Xylitol Canada
WebMD

My favourite brand of Xylitol, as I have mentioned in my Almond Flour, Sugar-Free Cookie recipe below, is Ideal No Calorie Sweetener. It is one of the only brands you can buy in the Netherlands and you can buy it in portable packets or in pouches for baking. It is not 100% xylitol, but it has zero chemical after-taste.

I think Martha would be down with xylitol, so the Stewart Score for Xylitol is:
Appearance: 2
Taste: 2
Ease: 1 (It is not easy to find in The Netherlands, but perhaps in other parts of the world you don't have to order it online and can find it in stores).