Lemon Butter Cookies

Spring is here, but you wouldn’t know it by the dark and gloomy days we’ve been having around here. Cheer up. I have a cookie that will brighten your day. They are flakey on the outside and chewy on the inside. And the tangy lemon flavor combined with the sweet butter cookie is like a bite of sunshine.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 drops yellow food coloring
3/4 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. 1-2 minutes.
Beat in eggs, lemon zest and juice, vanilla and food coloring.
Beat in dry ingredients until just combined.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
Preheat oven to 325 F degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Roll dough into 2 inch balls then roll in powdered sugar and place on baking sheets. Let sit for 2 minutes until sugar is absorbed, then reroll in powdered sugar.
Place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until cookies crackle and set but still slightly soft in center, 17-19 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
This recipe yields 24-30 cookies depending on how evenly you roll your cookie dough. One day I am going to invest in a dough scoop so I can have uniform cookies. I sprinkled a little extra powdered sugar on the cookies when cooled, but that is not necessary.