Active Time

　　35 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1/2 hr

　　Miss Lewis mentions buttermilk cookies, which she pairs with ice-cold lemonade, but as far as we know, she never committed a recipe to paper. When we developed one, the big debate was about texture: Soft or crisp? What you see here is the cookie of your dreams, with a tender interior and the slightest bit of crispness around the edge.

　　

Ingredients

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

　　

Make cookies:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter 2 large baking sheets.

　　

Step 2

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

　　

Step 3

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.

　　

Step 4

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.

　　

Glaze cookies:

Step 5

Whisk together all glaze ingredients and brush onto tops of warm cookies.

　　

Step 6

Let stand until cookies are completely cooled and glaze is set.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Cookies are best the day they're made but can be frozen, wrapped well, up to 1 month.