Adding lemon flavor to sugar cookie recipe?

Question

I am going to make sugar cookies for Christmas. To give them a touch of lemon taste, can I just add a bit of lemon extract or lemon juice? Also, I want to make some of them red. At what point do I add the food color? Thanks.

Answer 1

Lemon zest and juice is great
Red color add when mixing.
But remember to take out 1/2 the mixture if you only want some red.

Answer 2

I'd use lemon zest, actually. I'm not sure that lemon juice is a good idea; it might mess with the chemistry of the cookie mix. If you do add lemon extract, don't add very much; a dropperful can flavor a substantial-sized batch.
I'm not sure about the food coloring; I find that if you mix it in beforehand, it turns pink rather than red. Maybe when you're done baking them?

Answer 3

I would use a bit of extract if you use the lemon juice you may need to add a little more flour. Add the food coloring at the end and mix to even the color out, but don't over mix.

Answer 4

You can add lemon extract or juice but even better would be to add grated lemon rind. You can add the food color to the butter/sugar mixture at the beginning.

Answer 5

I would use the lemon extract. Although at my house I have some lemon oil, as well as orange oil that I mix in milk chocolate! You can add the food coloring whenever you'd like! Just mix it right in the frosting contained, or if you are making your own then add the coloring after everything is mixed.

Answer 6

i would use lemon zest instead of the extract or juice, but if you can't use zest (grated lemon peel) than the extract would probably be better. if you want to make some of them red, i'd put the food coloring in after you've mixed in your last ingredient, and then mix it. make sure you remember to separate the dough if you only want some of them to be red!

Answer 7

add flavoring and coloring to butter/sugar mixture and blend thoroughly before adding flour. lemon extract or zest (the outside of the peel) is better than juice.

Answer 8

use lemon extract not juice. Add in the color as you mix in any other liquids.

Answer 9

use finely chopped lemon zest instead of juice, it may mess up the dough if you add to much extra liquid, add the food coloring in with the last step of mixing

Answer 10

It will taste quite different, but good anyway I'm sure. My family loves lemon extract in most of our cakes and cookies, because that's what Great-Grandmother used.