While most of us are hunkering down and preparing for a season of Pumpkin Spiced Lattes this time of year, most of my sensibility is longing for the warmth and sunshine of summer days. I love the light, the bright, the warmth, and all the colors the summer season has to offer. And, all summer long, I’ve been dreaming of crafting cookies with laminated and pressed flower petals atop. I imagined them to be petite and perfect, gorgeous in every way. And, just when my girlfriend sent me an emailed recipe of some sugared lemon cookies she’d just tasted from a gathering, I brought it upon myself to create my own version – a “petaled” version of the recipe: Pressed Petal Lemon Sugar Cookies.

The original recipe called for the cookies to be rolled in powdered sugar once removed from the oven.
I opted for a floral theme instead.

Pressed Petal Lemon Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. lemon zest (juice and zest of 1 large lemon*)
*1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
2½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
Sifted confectioners’ sugar OR 1 package edible flowers (nasturtiums)

In a medium bowl, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and egg, beating until well combined.
In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating to combine. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a flat-bottomed glass dipped in sugar, flatten dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Top each cookie with a flower and press again.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes.
(Roll in confectioners’ sugar. After cookies have cooled completely, roll in confectioners’ sugar a second time – optional).