12 Days of Cookies: Hummingbird High’s Raspberry Lemon Snickerdoodles

This year, we found the best cookies on the web for our 12 Days of Cookies, with today’s featured cookie being Hummingbird High’s creative twist on the snickerdoodle cookie.

 

The Baker: Michelle Lopez of the popular baking blog, Hummingbird High, where she focuses on straightforward recipes with simple ingredients. She’s a “firm believer of the fact that you can make delicious and beautiful food with unpretentious and unfussy ingredients.” We’re excited that she has a cookbook in the works, so be on the lookout for that in the coming months!

 

Why Love It: The berry and citrus notes in this recipe brighten an otherwise super-sweet cookie. We also love how the raspberry sugar dust imparts a beautiful colorful texture to the cookie, making it perfectly Instagrammable.

 

Ingredients

 

For the raspberry coating:

• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz./50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 heaping Tbs. freeze-dried raspberries

For the snickerdoodles:

• 1 1/2 cups minus 1 Tbs. (10.2 oz./290 g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 3/4 cups (12.35 oz./350 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Directions

 

1. To make the raspberry coating, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the sugar and freeze-dried raspberries. Pulse for a few seconds at a time until the mixture is thoroughly combined and fragrant. Transfer to a shallow bowl and set aside.

 

2. Preheat an ovento 400°F (200°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

3. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar starts to clump and smell fragrant (this infuses the sugar with the oils from the zest). Set aside.

 

4. In a bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined and set aside.

 

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the butter and the sugar–lemon zest mixture. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly combined after each addition. Add the lemon extract and beat until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer back on to its lowest setting and gradually add the dry ingredients, beating until just combined.

 

6. Using 3 Tbs. dough for each cookie, roll the dough into balls. Roll each ball in the raspberry-sugar mixture to coat and arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart.

 

7. Transfer one baking sheet to the oven and bake until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are puffed but still gooey, about 10 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the racks and let cool completely. Repeat to bake the remaining cookies. Makes about 20 cookies.

Follow along on our blog for 12 days of Christmas cookies, and head to our Holiday Headquarters for more recipes, gift ideas, and supplies for all your holiday entertaining needs.