Back in the day, Starbuck’s had a really, really good bakery case. Habitually, I’d pop in once a week, son packed in the stroller, to pick up my favorite mocha. And with it: one amazing oatmeal cherry bar (for me) and two equally amazing lemon knot cookies (one for him; and another one for…).
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Btw, these lemon knot cookies are not meant to overshadow the OG lemon drop cookie here at J+N. Those are a gold standard lemon cookie and a reader favorite.
I digress but the oatmeal cherry bars inspired my soft cranberry bar recipe and the oatmeal fig bars before that.
Pick one (or both) and make them.
Now.
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The sort-of Starbuck’s lemon knot cookie
Ever since they disappeared from the bakery case, I have thought about Starbuck’s lemon cookies. A lot.
They were a little crumbly in texture, a little hard in a good way with just-the-right amount of lemon flavor and sweetness.
I started my research, not online, but with my Italian family. Did we have a lemon cookie recipe I didn’t remember? Josie definitely had an orange cookie recipe but it wasn’t the same. And her anise cookie had a similar texture but wasn’t designed to be as rich or buttery.
Say hello to my buttery soft lemon knot cookie recipe —an Italian Christmas cookie that will be right at home on your annual cookie tray
It’s been tested, retested and made for a variety of taste-testers, all who gave it a big thumbs up.
I think you’re going to like it too.
➠Italian lemon knot recipe testing
Developing a lemon knot cookie recipe from scratch takes time and tweaking.
Test #1. The first version of this recipe started with less butter, less flour, more lemon and no salt. The tasters liked it but didn’t love it. And I am not one to settle on “like” when it comes to a cookie memory.
Test #2. More butter, added salt plus a little more (1/4 cup) flour. And more lemon zest than lemon juice. The dough was a little soft to work with but made a really good cookie.
Test #3. The winner. Because this is where I figured out how to shape and roll the cookies without adding so much flour that it changed the final product.
Ingredient list
How to make soft lemon knot cookies
Read the captions below the images for the step-by-step instructions on how to make this easy Christmas cookie recipe.
Step by step: shape lemon knots
Glazing
Freezing tip for glazed cookies
Freeze the cookies first on a single sheet pan for about an hour before removing to freezer safe resealable bags.
-Josie + Nina
🍋 Baker’s cookie tips
Storage and freezing tips
Storage. Store cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to 5 days.
Freeze. If making ahead for an event or the holidays, freeze in a single layer in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
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Soft Italian Lemon Knots
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Instructions
For the cookie
- Mix flour and baking powder ingredients together in a medium bowl.3 ¼ cup flour, 3 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream sugar and butter for 2 min until creamy and lightened. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir/mix in lemon juice and zest until mixed through.1 ¼ cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1 c butter, zest/juice from 1 lemon
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. Don't overmix
- Use a 2” cookies scoop to make a round of dough. Make a log as wide as your palm, about 4-5".
- Roll cookie tucking one end back over the log about halfway.
- Bring the other end up and over the first side, making a "knot". Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, about 3-4 in a row. (I sometimes flip them upside down as the bottom can look better than the top). They don't have to be perfect!
- Bake at 350˚ for 10-13 minutes. Check at the 10 minute mark, removing the cookies when the bottoms are slightly browned. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then to a cooling rack to cool completely before dipping.
Make the glaze
- Add powdered sugar to a bowl and stir in lemon juice and zest. Mix until blended. Add a little water as needed or a little more lemon juice. You can also add milk for a less translucent glaze.1 ½ cup powdered sugar, 3-4 T lemon juice, Zest from 1 lemon
- One at a time, dip the cookies into the glaze coating the top and sides. Move to a cooling rack set in a sheet pan or over a piece of plastic wrap or parchment for easy clean up.
- Sprinkle over extra zest for garnish and color. Allow glaze to set until dry.
Notes
- This is a very sticky dough. I do lightly flour my surface and my hands periodically when rolling the knots.
- You can refrigerate the dough a bit if necessary. I live in the Chicago area so it’s typically cool when I make these.
- I don’t use butter that has been overly softened as I mix these in a stand mixer. I cut the butter into pieces before creaming with the sugar.
the knots flattened out and then puffed up but did not hold the shape of a knot. I did not add flour because I refrigerated the dough and that prevented it from sticking to my hands, but I can’t figure out why my perfectly shaped knots did not hold their shape. taste is good.
Hi Linda! As we speak, I am making these cookies for Christmas and am recording of video of myself doing them. I’m going to email you directly. I didn’t refrigerate the dough (live in Chicago and it’s damp here today). I did flour the surface a bit and wet my hands to roll them and then baked them on 350° on the middle/lower rack for 9 minutes. I have a brand new oven that might adjust the cooking time down by a minute or two as the cookies were originally tested on my old oven.