Ingredients
1/4 c. (50 g.) granulated sugar
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1/4 tsp. ground lavender (optional)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c. (40 g.) powdered sugar
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 c. (90 g.) all-purpose flour
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (optional)
Preparation
Step 1In a large bowl, rub granulated sugar, orange zest, lavender, if using, and salt until sugar is damp. Add butter and powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites and vanilla, then fold in flour until just combined.Step 2Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2" round tip. Pipe batter into thin 3 1/2"-long strips on prepared sheets, spacing 2" apart. Refrigerate until chilled while oven preheats, about 10 minutes.Step 3Bake cookies until edges are golden and tops are set, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets. Step 4In a small heatproof bowl, microwave chips, if using, in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Dip one-half of cookies into chocolate, then return to baking sheets and let set.Step 5Make Ahead: Cookies can be made 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Ever so slightly sweet and very thin and crunchy, this recipe calls for orange zest and ground lavender to help perfume the butter with additional flavors, but you can skip and just keep it plain and buttery. If you want to jazz it up a bit, let your imagination take you wherever: a touch of cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, or even a splash of orange blossom water for floral sweetness. Aesthetically speaking, move faster when piping to create as thin a line as possible: The cookie will spread and expand sideways when it hits the oven heat. Do not push the piping bag too forcefully; too much batter will cause cookies to spread too much during the bake. You want to maintain a thin strip of batter to yield the characteristic tongue shape. Once you’ve made a batch of these cookies, drop us a comment down below and tell us what flavors you put in yours!
