Ingredients

Makes about 72

　　2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1 large egg

　　1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

　　Colored sanding sugar, for decorating

　　

Step 1

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, zest, and flour mixture. Divide the dough in half; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, 20 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap one half on a lightly floured surface. Let stand 10 minutes. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Transfer the cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll out the scraps; cut out circles. Repeat with the remaining dough.

　　

Step 3

Lightly press one end of a clean 1 1/2-inch spool onto the surface of each cookie. Refrigerate the dough on the sheets 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Sprinkle sanding sugar into the imprint on the cookies; brush off excess. Bake until golden, about 14 minutes. Cool on the sheets set on wire racks. Store airtight up to 1 week.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.