Lemon Sugar Cookies With Sandys Colored Sugar Food

LEMON SUGAR COOKIE SNOWFLAKES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the confectioners' sugar and butter. Add the lemon extract, vanilla extract and eggs, and mix until the eggs are incorporated. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition, and then add the zest. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thick. Use snowflake cookie cutters to cut out the cookies (25 to 30 cookies depending on the size) and place on the prepared sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks and cool to room temperature before decorating.
• Roll out the modeling chocolate using a pasta roller or heavy rolling pin to 1/8-inch thick. Using the same snowflake cookie cutter (wiped clean with a paper towel), cut out the snowflake shapes.
• For the syrup: Warm the corn syrup in the microwave, 20 to 30 seconds, then stir in the almond extract.
• Using a pastry brush, paint the top of a cookie with the syrup and immediately, but carefully, place a modeling chocolate snowflake on top. Position the modeling chocolate carefully before setting on a cookie, as it will stick very quickly. Rub your fingers over the edges gently to secure the modeling chocolate. Repeat for the remaining cookies.
• Use the remaining syrup to decorate the cookies. Paint a design, the edges or the entire surface of the cookies, and top with nonpareils, sanding sugar, crystal sugar or other decorations.

LEMON VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Put the butter, granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and mix until just combined.
• Scoop the dough with a 2-ounce cookie scoop, filling it fully with the dough. Then shape it into a straight-sided patty (like a hockey puck) that is 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Put the formed cookie on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 7 to 8 more cookies and making sure there is at least 1 inch of space around each cookie on the baking sheet.
• Bake until the cookies have spread out and flattened by about half and the bottoms are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Flip your cookies upside down so the flattest side is up. Use the yellow icing to make a thin line around the edge of each cookie. Then make 2 loops around the interior of the yellow border with the white icing and use a toothpick to fill in any gaps between the two colors. Fill in the middle space with the yellow icing and then make a circle with the white directly in the center. Immediately use a scribe or toothpick to lightly drag from the edge of the cookie to the middle to create the segments of your lemon. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
• Let the icing dry and crust over or serve immediately.

SANDY'S SUPER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Beat butter and white sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture on low speed until dough is just-combined.
• Divide dough into 4 portions; refrigerate 3 portions. Roll remaining portion out on a lightly-floured work surface to 1/4-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut dough into desired shapes and transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until slightly golden at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking process with remaining dough portions.

LEMON SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 385 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Blend together shortening, salt, lemon rind and sugar. Beat in egg and milk. Stir in all other ingredients.
• Squish a roughly teaspoon-to-tablespoon-size amount of the dough, which is coarse until squished, and place in rows on a greased baking sheet.
• For pizzazz, dust cookies with nutmeg or colored sugar.
• Bake 6-10 minute until light golden. (Watch! They darken quickly!).
• Tip: Use the rest of the lemon to make fresh lemonade, delicious!