May 9, 2014

Lemon Cut-Out Cookies

A citrus sweet treat

Citrus infused sweets are right up my alley. When we spent time testing and tasting these Lemon Cut-Out Cookies, I was in total heaven! There is both lemon juice and peel in the cookie dough. Both ingredients are also in the icing, and in the lemon curd, of course. This recipe oozes lemony goodness.

The cookies themselves are easy to make, have a perfect texture–and–even without the frostings–are “out-of-this-world” good.

Meyer lemons with their thin outside layer and typical juiciness worked great. When Rozanne the winner originally entered and won, she had cut out letters into U – S – A for the July 4 holiday. She presented them with a red, white and blue theme and did fruit on top. Here’s a shot from when she won. You rock Rozanne!

Our top tip with this recipe is to make the lemon curd ahead of time. You don’t want to be rushed waiting for it to thicken. If you are short on time or are not ready to make the lemon curd on your own, try it with a pre-made version. Also, some people might not have access to whole vanilla bean. You could surely sub with an extract if needed.

I already imagine making these Lemon Cut-Out Cookies again…maybe even serving them with a coconut sorbet or vanilla bean ice cream. Dreamy!

-Cyndi

Lemon Cut-Out Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 Tablespoons coconut oil, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

3 Tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 cups Gold Medal Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon real vanilla bean paste (or extract)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For the cookie: combine butter, coconut oil, sugar and egg with electric mixer until smooth. Add lemon juice, lemon peel and mix until blended. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla bean (or use a good quality extract). Mix on low until blended, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough with enough flour so your hands do not stick to dough. Cut out in preferred shapes and place on non-stick baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Cool completely. Decorate cookies as desired with the icing and lemon curd.

 

Icing

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/8 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Combine ingredients, mix and set aside.

Lemon Curd

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 Tablespoons limoncello liqueur

Whisk butter and sugar; add eggs and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickens. Add lemon juice, zest, liqueur and mix. Let cool and refrigerate to chill.

–Recipe from Rozanne, San Diego County Fair Winner, 2013 Gold Medal Flour Contest