Grapefruit Cookies

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These soft, chewy grapefruit cookies are made with brown butter and fresh grapefruit zest. They're easy to make without a mixer and come together with basic ingredients.

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

Chill Time30

Total Time1

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: cookies

Calories: 127kcal

Author: Natalie

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter lightly browned, cooled 5-10 minutes, still warm, or swap in around 10 tbsp or 140 grams melted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons grapefruit zest 8 to 10 g, from about 2 Ruby Red or pink grapefruit (zest only, no juice)
¾ cup dark brown sugar packed, or swap in light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg room temperature
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fresh ginger optional, finely grated
1 tablespoon yogurt optional, plain, room temperature, or sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2½ cups all-purpose flour
flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brown the butter: Add ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter to a light-colored saucepan and place over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir occasionally. The butter will melt, then foam, then bubble loudly. Stir constantly as it bubbles. Once the bubbling begins to slow (about 3-4 minutes after the butter has fully melted), watch closely. Look for light golden flecks forming on the bottom. When the butter smells nutty and turns a light to medium amber color (like honey, not dark caramel), remove from heat immediately. Pour into a bowl, scraping in all the browned bits. Let cool 5–10 minutes, until warm to the touch but still liquid.
Melted butter option: If you want to skip browning the butter, use 10 tablespoons (140 g) melted unsalted butter so that you end up using the same amount of butter as the browned butter version. Let cool as directed, for around 5-10 minutes and continue with the rest of the instructions.
Use a microplane to zest 2 grapefruits. Zest only the colored outer layer, not the white pith underneath. You should have about 2½ to 3 tbsp (8 to 10 grams).
In a large bowl, add granulated sugar and grapefruit zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and slightly damp. Whisk in the dark brown sugar til combined. Add warm browned butter and salt. Mix until combined. It will look thick and paste-like. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, ginger, and yogurt (if using). Mix until fully combined.
Sprinkle baking soda and cornstarch over the bowl. Stir it in with a spatula. Add flour. Stir it into the dough just until no dry spots remain. Do not overmix.
Scoop about 1½ Tbsp or around 28–30 grams (I use a size 40 scoop). Place dough on a plate or sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge 30 minutes. After 15 minutes of chilling, preheat oven to 350°F.
Line baking sheets with parchment. Place 8 to 9 cookies per pan, 2 to 3 inches apart. Leave remaining dough in fridge while first batch bakes. Bake 9 to 10 minutes, one pan at a time. Edges should be set and lightly golden. Centers should look soft and slightly underdone. They will firm up as they cool.
Sprinkle with flaky salt (if using) immediately after baking. Cool on pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

Grapefruits: You'll need 2 grapefruits for about 2½ to 3 tbsp zest. It sounds like a lot but grapefruit zest is milder than lemon zest. Ruby Red grapefruit is best for this recipe. It's sweeter and less bitter than regular grapefruit. If you can't find Ruby Red, use pink grapefruit.

Zest: Use a microplane to zest the grapefruit. Zest only the colored outer layer, not the white pith underneath. The pith is bitter. Rub the grapefruit zest into the granulated sugar. It helps release the oils and distribute the flavor.

Chill time: Chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 days covered in fridge.

Browning the butter: Use a light-colored saucepan so you can see the color change. Butter contains water, which evaporates as it melts and browns. This is why ¾ cup (170 g) butter yields about 140 g after browning, even when lightly browned to a honey color. If skipping browning, use 10 tablespoons (140 g) melted unsalted butter so the total amount of fat stays the same.

Fresh ginger: Be careful not to add too much ginger. It can overpower the grapefruit flavor. Just a small amount of ginger adds to the overall deliciousness of the cookies. Since it is a small amount, you can definitely leave it out if you prefer.

Don't overbake: The cookies will firm up as they cool.

Nutrition