SOUTHERN LIVING’S FROSTED LEMON SUGAR COOKIES, adapted

Lemon is a summertime flavor.  There’s something refreshing and almost cooling with tart citrus, even when it’s just in a cookie.  That’s why I pulled this recipe out of my file to repost.  The record-setting heat made me do it.  For you, of course.

You don’t have to use lemon flavors.  Southern Living used spice flavors, a 5-sided star cutter and red and blue sprinkles.  So nice for the 4th of July.  I couldn’t find a 5-sided star cutter, and red and blue sprinkles were really pricey, so I improvised. 


Either way, this is a great summertime cookie.

Frosted Lemon Cookies Adapted from Southern Living Rating:  8 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup White Lily self-rising flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 3 packets True Lemon (or 2 tsp. lemon juice) 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 egg yolk 1 tsp. orange zest 2 tsp. lemon zest 1/2 tsp. vanilla Sift together first 4 ingredients in a bowl. In a medium-large bowl, whisk butter, cream cheese and sugars by hand or with electric mixer till very smooth.   Add egg yolk, zests and vanilla and whisk again till very smooth. Stir in flour mixture with spatula, mixing till just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-24 hours. Preheat oven to 350F.   Place dough on floured surface; roll to 1/4" thickness; cut with cookie cutter of choice. Place 1" apart on ungreased, parchment-lined baking sheets.   Bake 8-10 minutes or till cookies are set and just beginning to brown around edges. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Yield: 26 cookies    Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 2 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened good pinch of sea salt 2 packets True Lemon (or 2 tsp. lemon juice) 1/2 tsp. lemon zest 1-1/2 cups 10X sugar (confectioner's) 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/2 Tbsp. fat-free half and half (or more if needed to make a spreading consistency) In small bowl, with electric mixer, whip butter, cream cheese, salt, True Lemon, lemon zest and 1/2 cup of 10X sugar on low speed till combined; then whip at medium speed till smooth and fluffy.   Gradually add remaining 10X sugar, vanilla and half and half.   Add more half and half, if needed, to make a frosting of spreading consistency.   (I only used 1/2 Tbsp.) When cookies are cool, spread a thin layer of frosting over the tops. Sprinkle with crushed nuts or sprinkles of choice.   (If freezing: Air dry on racks for 1 hour before layering them in a container for the freezer. The frosting will harden just enough that you will be able to layer them.) (This post is supported by Reader's Digest of Canada.  More recipes for SUGAR COOKIES can be found on their website.)