Chewy Lemon Gumdrop Cookies

Position oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.

Place the sugar in a small bowl with the lemon zest. Use your fingertips to work the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moistened and fragrant.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy on medium high speed. Beat in the lemon sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs. Scrape down the bowl. Set the mixer on low and gradually stir in the dry ingredients. When just a few streaks of flour remain, stir in about three-quarters of the gumdrop pieces.

Using a small scoop or two spoons, portion the dough into balls, 2 tablespoons each. Place the dough balls on the baking sheets about 4 inches apart, or about 8 to a standard-sized baking sheet (the cookies will spread). Dot a few of the remaining gumdrop pieces artfully atop each dough ball. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are still pale, 10-11 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.