In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer (with or without paddle attachment), stand mixer, or electric hand mixer to cream butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and in batches add to wet ingredients. Beat on low until just combined.

Prepare a saucer with ingredients for coating the cookies: 1 tablespoon lemon zest mixed with ¼ cup granulated sugar.

Scoop dough and roll dough into 2 ½ tablespoon-sized balls and roll into lemon sugar. If the dough is very sticky, freeze it for 15 minutes or longer until it is easy to work with it. The texture needs to resemble an easy to work with playdough.

Refrigerate the cookie balls in an airtight container for at least 1 hour or in the freezer for 15-30 minutes (will depend on your freezer temperatures).

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162 C).

Transfer the cookie dough balls to a cookie sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper. Don’t press down.

Bake for 11 minutes (the time may vary due to different ovens).

The cookies will have a soft center inside with a crunchy sugary exterior. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, and buttery.

Let the cookies stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 larger and thicker cookies