Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While it heats, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. This will ensure your cookies bake evenly and are easy to remove once done.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, corn meal, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt. Make sure everything is well combined; this dry mix will help bind the flavors together.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar along with the lemon zest and orange zest. Mix on medium speed until everything is well combined and fluffy. You want a pale, creamy mixture, so take your time with this step!
Add the olive oil, egg, and lemon juice to the bowl. Continue mixing until the mixture is smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides to incorporate all the ingredients.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing on low speed. Be careful not to over-mix; you want the dough to be somewhat dense but soft to the touch.
Prepare a small bowl with the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Using a 4-tablespoon scoop, take portions of the dough and drop them onto your prepared baking sheet. Make sure to space them out.
Generously sprinkle each mound of dough with sugar using the spoon. This step adds a lovely sweetness and slight crunch to the cookies.
Bake your cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 13 minutes. They might look like they need more time, but trust the process and take them out when the time's up!
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely, which should take about 20 minutes. This is crucial as it allows the cookies to set perfectly.
If you want smaller cookies, use a 2-tablespoon scoop, and adjust your baking time to about 9 to 10 minutes. This will yield two dozen smaller cookies, perfect for sharing!
