Buttermilk Cookies

Buttermilk Cookies

I found this recipe here on Ezra's blog. They looked very good and cake like. I thought they must be really moist since they have buttermilk in the recipe. So this past Sunday evening I made them. They turned out really good and they were very moist. BUT, and that's a big BUT, as I was putting the left over buttermilk back in the fridge I looked a little closer and to my real surprise, it was NOT buttermilk at all it was regular ole 2% milk. (I'm losing it, I know.) But the little pint bottle looked just like the buttermilk bottle and apparently I didn't pay very close attention and just picked up the wrong one. To make a long story short, I can't even imagine how much better they could have been had they had the buttermilk in them instead of regular milk. I ate 4 of them and then had to wrap them up quick before I ate the whole lot! (They actually taste "lemony.") I gave them to the next person that came to my house. That was my brother, AKA "Barney's friend Chris." He took them home to the children. I talked to them the next day and they were all gone! They really liked them too. So if you are looking for a new cookie recipe try these with or with out the buttermilk.

Adapted from Gourmet,

January 2008
Makes about

5 1/2 dozen cookies

For Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter two large baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, zest, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until smooth.

Drop level tablespoons of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are puffed and edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes per batch.

Cool cookies on sheets 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks.

To glaze the cookies:

Whisk together all glaze ingredients and brush onto tops of warm cookies.
Let stand until cookies are completely cooled and glaze is set.