Grapefruit cookies are for citrus lovers who would like a little something different. This is an easy cookie for beginners.
If Vintage Sugar cookies, my most popular recipe, had a hot date with a grapefruit, the ensuing issue would be these grapefruit cookies.
Crunchy and just a bit sweet, these grapefruit cookies have a bit of a tang from freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and zest.
If lemon cookies are more your jam, try these lemon shortbread hearts
Or if you're more of a chocolate gal or guy, these never disappoint.
This is an easy drop cookie recipe but a Microplane grater zester is a must. Microplanes will last you years. Bonus, use the zester to grate hard rind cheese like a wedge of parmesan or a block of chocolate.
How to Make Grapefruit Cookies
Plus, grapefruit is so good for you. That means you can feel really good about eating these cookies!
I made Lisa's recipe twice. The first time I followed it exactly as written.
The second time I doubled the amount of grapefruit juice from two tablespoons to four tablespoons.
I much prefer the version with the extra juice.
If you see little pink flecks in the cookies shown below, that's my failed attempt to make pink sugar crystals to use for rolling the balls of cookie dough.
You can use regular sanding sugar if you like.
I wanted cookies with a bit of extra sparkle and crunch so I used clear sugar crystals.
Grapefruit Cookies
Grapefruit cookies are for citrus lovers who would like a little something different. This is an easy cookie for beginners. If sugar cookies and grapefruits hooked up, these crunchy cookies with a tang of citrus would be the ensuing issue.
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups sugar
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons grapefruit juice
- 1 Tablespoon grapefruit zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sanding sugar or sugar crystals
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until pale yellow and fluffy, this will likely take at least 5 minutes depending on how strong your mixer is.
- Add egg and mix
- Add vanilla extract, grapefruit juice and zest, blend until well combined
- Add dry ingredients-flour through salt--and stir until just combined. Over mixing here will lead to tough cookies.
- Either chill dough or roll into one-inch balls and roll into sanding sugar that you've poured into a small bowl. I like chilling the dough for at least an hour but that's optional with this cookie. They turned out the same for me both pre-chilled and baked right after mixing.
- Bake 12 at a time at 350 on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for approximately 12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for two minutes on cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
- Makes approximately 30 to 36 one-inch cookies
Notes
Cookies will be slightly puffed in the middle when you pull them out out of the oven.
They will flatten a bit as they cool down and the cookies will have a lovely crackly surface.
Any variety of grapefruit will work.
Please freshly squeeze grapefruits for this cookie to get the best taste. I needed two grapefruits to get the tablespoon of zest and the four tablespoons of juice.
However, my grapefruits were a bit sad and small. You should be able to get everything you need for this cookie from one large, juicy grapefruit.
However, if you don't have any grapefruits and you really want to make the cookie, just use packaged grapefruit juice. However, that will mean you'll lose out on the zest, unless you've got grapefruit zest stored in your freezer.
Nutrition Information
Yield 36 Serving Size one inch cookieAmount Per Serving Calories 95Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 12mgSodium 64mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 0gSugar 11gProtein 1g
How do you juice a grapefruit?
- Put grapefruit on a cutting board or even better, in a medium size bowl and slice it in half.
- You want to slice the grapefruit on a surface or dish that will capture all the fresh juiciness that's going to dribble or gush out of the fruit as you slice it!
- Then, take a fork, my preferred method, stick the fork into one half at a time and twist and squeeze and twist and squeeze and grind the fork around in the grapefruit flesh until you've wrung out all of the juice you possibly can.
- Repeat with other side.
If you're a gadget person, there are plenty of juicers to buy to assist you with juicing said grapefruit.
I have had a model of this Cuisinart juicer similar to this one since before I got married 19 years ago but I never use it. My older version is white and a bit shorter.
A fork is always close at hand whereas I store the juicer in a top cupboard that I can't reach without a chair or a taller person.
Did you know I'm quite short? I'm just 5'2 with eyes of blue. Kidding. Not really, I am 5'2 but my eyes are green. I like saying 5'2 with eyes of blue for the rhyme. It's the English major in me. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Please let me know if you make this recipe! What's your favorite cookie? How do you make sugar cookies?
Do you like citrus? Try Copycat Panera Lemon Drop Cookies Recipe or Easy Lemon Dessert Recipes.
Kathy
Delicious. I used one cup of sugar instead of 1 1/2.. So good with coffee and/or tea. Light and just-sweet-enough. I agree, 4 tablespoons of (fresh) grapefruit juice is a must. Thank you for this recipe. It will be part of my personal cookbook.
Jennifer
Kathy, I'm so pleased to hear that you enjoyed these cookies. They really are perfect for coffee and tea.
Thanks for the kind words.
Are you under quarantine? What else are you baking?
Jennifer :