Lemon Cutout Cookies Food

LEMON CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and lemon juice; beat well.
• In seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat flour mixture into creamed mixture. Beat until well-mixed. Dough will be soft!
• Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in wax paper then plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours in FREEZER.
• After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375.
• Roll dough on to lightly floured surface to 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes or until edges slightly golden brown.
• Makes about 4 dozen, depending on size and shape of cutters used.

LEMON BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, milk and extract. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and chill for 2 hours. , Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-in. cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. , Bake until the edges just begin to brown, 8-9 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla. Combine the flour, cornstarch, nutmeg, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. (Dough will be crumbly.) Shape into a ball., On a lightly floured surface, press dough to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 1-in. fluted cookie cutter; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Prick cookies with a fork. Reroll scraps if desired. , Bake until firm, 12-15 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks to cool completely. , Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice; drizzle over cookies. Store in an airtight container.

LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Next, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme and mix again. Finally, add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and flatten into a 1" disk. If the dough is sticky, wrap and chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm but still pliable.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼" thick. If desired, you can roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Use 2" cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Keep any extra cut-out cookies in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

LEMON CREAM CHEESE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Stir together flour, spices, and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, and sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in milk and lemon peel. Add dry ingredients, beating at low speed just until combined. Chill, covered, for 2 to 3 hours or until firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into shapes using cutters.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
• If desired, in a medium mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, meringue powder,* and cream of tartar. Add 3 tablespoons cold water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture is combined, then on medium to high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until mixture forms stiff peaks. (If mixture seems stiff while beating, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Icing should be fairly thick for piping. For a thinner, glazing consistency, stir in a little more water after beating.) Spread over cookies. (When not using, keep icing tightly covered to prevent drying.)
• *Note: One brand of meringue powder is Wilton. Look for the powder at kitchen, cake-decorating, and crafts shops.