The Bitten Word’s Lemony Sugar Cookies

lemon-cookies

2 eggs
2 cups sugar, plus additional sugar for sprinkling
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, buttermilk, shortening and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in baking soda, flour and salt.  Add zest.

Line baking sheets with parchment. Drop 1 tablespoon size portions of cookie dough onto the sheet, with at least 2 inches between each round of dough. Bake for 15 minutes.

If you prefer a thinner cookie, in the final 2 minutes of baking, use a spatula to flatten each cookie.

Sprinkle cookies with a light dusting of sugar and allow them to cook on racks.