1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This is one of those simple steps that makes cleanup a breeze—Mama Lu always said a tidy kitchen was a happy kitchen.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or sturdy wooden spoon to cream the softened butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes. The texture here is key; imagine the silky, soft butter spreading warm love through the dough.
4. Beat in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until everything is fully combined. The lemon juice gives the dough a little tang that brightens every bite.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Don’t overmix—Mama Lu always warned against tough cookies from too much stirring.
6. Lightly scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them in extra granulated sugar. Place them about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. This sugar coating is what gives the cookies that sparkly, sunshine-kissed look.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden and the tops look set but still soft. The smell at this point will remind you of warm summer days and porch talks.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time helps them firm up just right.

My best advice? Don’t rush the cooling. I’ve learned over the years that patience pays off in cookies as much as in life.