Another one of my mother’s classics…I found the handwritten recipe without specifics such as amount of vanilla, salt and lemon juice, baking temperature and time, etc. So that’s where The Science of Baking got to work…
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
¾ cup olive/canola/coconut/grapeseed oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Juice of one lemon
3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. poppy seeds
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Process eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor until well combined.
Add flour, salt, baking powder and poppy seeds, and pulse until just combined and the dough starts to form by wrapping around the blade.
Divide dough in half. Shape one half into a round disc and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Shape the other half into a log and wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for one hour.
Roll out the disc to ¼-1/2 inch thickness on a counter dusted with flour, and use cookie cut-outs (I used a star shape) to shape the cookies.
Bake the cookies for 13 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges.
Slice the log into ½-inch thick cookies and bake for 14-16 minutes.
Science Fact of the Week
Poppy seeds go beyond a classic bagel decoration. Seeds come from the dry fruit pods of the poppy plant. They contain anti-oxidants, dietary fibre and many nutrients and minerals such as B-vitamins, iron, copper, zinc and magnesium. Added to these cookies they not only provide texture and flavour, but some nutrition as well!
The Science of Baking 