Lemon Icebox Cookies With Icing Recipes

LEMON ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, salt, and lemon zest until combined. Add butter and process until sandy. Add egg yolks and lemon juice; pulse until dough comes together. Divide dough in half and form each into a 1 1/2-inch-wide log. Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm, about 2 hours (or up to 1 month).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Spread granulated sugar on a piece of parchment; roll logs over sugar to coat. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

LEMON ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon peel and lemon juice. On low speed, beat in flour mixture just until blended.
• Divide dough into 3 equal portions. On waxed paper, roll each portion into 12-inch log. Wrap in waxed paper; refrigerate 8 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Unwrap dough; cut into 1/2-inch slices. On cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool completely. Garnish with additional grated lemon peel, if desired. Store cooled cookies tightly covered at room temperature.

ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a food processor work bowl, add sugar and lemon zest. Process until sugar and zest are well mixed, about 20 seconds. Scrape into a large mixing bowl. Reserve about 1/2 cup of lemon sugar in a separate bowl for later use.
• Add flour, baking powder and salt into food processor and pulse briefly to mix. Add cold butter into food processor with flour mixture and process with short pulses until mixture resembles cornmeal and no large lumps of butter remain, about 10 pulses. Pour this mixture into the sugar and lemon mixture in the large mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix egg yolks, vanilla extract and lemon juice together.
• Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, pour in the lemon/sugar and flour/butter mixture and stir until combined, about 15 seconds. Then, while the mixer is still running, slowly add egg/lemon juice mixture and mix until well combined and dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 15 to 30 seconds.
• Scrape the dough into a large bowl and refrigerate until cold, but not solid, about 30 minutes. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Take the dough balls and roll the tops into the reserved lemon sugar. Use the bottom of a water glass to press the cookies flat, about 1/4-inch thick. Bake the cookies until slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper with the cookies from the tray to a cooling rack and cool completely, about 1 hour. Once the cookies have completely cooled, ice with Lemon Icing.
• 1 pound (2 cups) confectioners' sugar
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Spoon onto cooled cookies, and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Let stand on a cooling rack until the glaze is set, about 1 hour.
• Yield: enough for 3 dozen cookies