Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. In another large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs until creamy, then whisk in salt, lemon juice, zest, extract and rose water. Add food coloring if desired.
Add the flour gradually while beating the mixture on low speed until flour is completely incorporated and the dough smooth. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight. The dough needs to harden a bit before you can roll the balls.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll it into 1-inch (2.5-cm) balls. Roll each one in powdered sugar (really pack it on) and place on the baking sheet, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake cookies in preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, until cookies are cracked on top, don’t look raw anymore and their sides are hard to the touch.
Cool cookies on a baking sheet for a few minutes, then continue cooling on a wire rack. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week (we haven’t been able to keep them beyond that).