Zesty Iced Lemon Cookies Recipes

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

ZESTY LEMON ICE CREAM COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Spoon the ice cream into a rimmed baking sheet and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, 2 to 3 hours. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut the ice cream into 12 rounds, reshaping the ice cream "sheet" as needed. Keep frozen.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add the egg, and beat until the yellow disappears. Beat in the lemon zest, juice and extract.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until combined. Roll the dough into twenty-four 2-inch balls. Roll the balls in coarse sugar, if using, and place on the prepared pans. Use the bottom of a glass to press down the dough balls.
• Bake until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the bottoms, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• To assemble the sandwiches, spread 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon curd on the flat sides of 12 cookies. Sandwich an ice cream round between 2 cookies (one lemon curd-coated and one uncoated). Roll the edges in the sprinkles. Wrap and freeze the ice cream sandwiches until ready to serve.

ICED HONEY LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together; beat in egg.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• In another separate bowl, combine honey, yogurt, lemon peel and lemon extract.
• Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the honey mixture to the creamed mixture; mix until well blended.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until a light golden color; remove to wire racks.
• For the icing, in a small bowl combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
• Brush over the warm cookies and sprinkle with the grated lemon peel.

LEMON COOKIES FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Cream sugar, butter, and lemon zest together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Combine eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a cup; mix using a fork until combined. Beat into egg mixture slowly on low speed.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add to egg mixture slowly on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat; dough will be sticky. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; it will still be sticky after chilling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Form dough into balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon and roll each in powdered sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Lightly smash each ball down using your hand.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the middle of each cookie is just barely set, 11 to 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack completely before storing in an airtight container.

ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, oil and lemon peel until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Dip bottom of small glass into 3 tablespoons sugar; press on cookies to make about 2 inches in diameter.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to set and cookies are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 2 cups powdered sugar and enough lemon juice until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting on cookies. Sprinkle nuts on frosting before it sets.

MEYER ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Using a microplane grater, remove the zest from 4 Meyer lemons. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons for the dough.
• Mix butter on high speed until fluffy and add sugar and egg. Continue mixing on medium speed and add vanilla and lemon rind. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients until blended. Mixing on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until blended, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• While the dough is being chilled, juice the lemons you removed the zest from earlier. Add the remaining lemon rind to the juice and slowly mix in the powdered sugar. It's better to err on the side of too thick for the icing as runny icing won't form nice stripes.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into 1 1/4 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with a glass or measuring cup. Coat the bottom of the glass or cup with sugar between flattening. Try to get the cookies around 1/4 inch in height.
• Bake 9- 11 (If you want a crisper cookie you may need 11+ minutes. Other wise 9-10 should give you a softer cookie.) minutes at 375 degrees until edges are just turning golden. Remove from oven and tranfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
• Set a plastic bag in a glass and pour the icing mixture into the plastic bag. Snip the corner off the plastic bag and pipe stripes along the cooled cookie tops. Let the icing harden fully before transferring to storage container.

ZESTY ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar; beat well. Add egg, oil and lemon peel; mix well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt to sugar mixture; beat until well blended. Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 325. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten cookies into 2-inch rounds with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
• Bake at 325 for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to set and cookies are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Cool 10 minutes or until completely cooled.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, blend 2 cups powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for desired spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Sprinkle pistachios on frosting before it sets.