1.13.2009

Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies

Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies

Did You Know? Lemon trees bloom and produce fruit year-round. Each tree can produce between 500 and 600 pounds of lemons in a year.

I asked my mom to clean my bathroom the other day, and in return, I promised her a batch of these Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies. Pretty fair trade right? We were browsing through different recipes that would use up some Meyer lemons, and I am so glad we settled on this one. Just because it's the season of perpetual dieting, doesn't mean we all don't deserve a break. These cookies are so light and refreshing. They remind me of a spritzer, not that I have ever had a spritzer cookie, but the name just seems right, don't you think?

I made two variations of these. Both use all the same ingredients, I just played with the baking time on each, and the thickness of the cookie. Now usually I am a big fan of the cookie that stays soft for days, but with these, I must admit I loved the crispy version. I flattened the dough out really thin, and baked them a few minutes longer so that the edges got nice and golden. They were unbelievable! Hot from the oven, or cooled and iced, they were a really nice accompaniment to my Nutcracker Sweet Tea.

Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies

Everything about these cookies was so bright and tasty, and a much needed pick-me-up from these cold, snowy days. Flecked with bits of Meyer zest, and drizzled with lemony-fresh icing, they filled my head with memories of Summer. So if you, like me, are in need for a brief moment of sunlight, make these cookies, I promise you'll love them!


Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies


Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies
Dough
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon rind (3 lemons)


Icing
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon rind (2 lemons)
1 cup powdered sugar


Meyer Lemon Icing

Mix butter on high speed until fluffy, then add the sugar and egg. Continue mixing on medium speed adding vanilla extract and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon rind.

In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Mixing on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until blended, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gather dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

While the dough is being chilled, juice the lemons you removed the zest from earlier. Add the remaining lemon rind to the powdered sugar, then slowly add the lemon juice. You want the icing to be thick enough to form stripes, but runny enough to drizzle out of a baggie (leave it on the thicker side if you're unsure - you can always add more lemon juice or water).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees at some point before the dough is done chilling.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and using a mini ice-cream scoop, scoop the dough balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with a glass or measuring cup, coating the bottom of the glass or cup with sugar between flattening. The flatter the cookie, the crispier they will be. I made both crispy and cakey to suit either preference (but like I said crispy was better).

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. If you want really crispy cookies, don't pull them out of the oven until the edges are really nice and brown. Remove from the oven and tranfer to racks to cool completely.

When ready to frost, pour the icing mixture into a plastic baggie. Snip the corner off of the plastic bag and pipe stripes along the cooled cookie tops. Let the icing harden fully before transferring to storage container. The original recipe said it made around 24 cookies, but I made 45 using my mini ice-cream scoop.


Iced Meyer Lemon Cookies

...REMINDER...

Don't forget to send me your links for all those lemon recipes you have stashed away! I've already received so many, and I can't wait to show you all. Thanks again to everyone who has participated, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, read the end of this post.


27 comments:

  1. wow they look incredibly scrumptious- your mum completley scored!
    I've never actually tried lemon flavored cookies but i think i now may have to!!

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  2. wow these look gorgeous esp with the frosting!

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  3. Those cookies look fantastic. I usually go for the rich, chocolately kind but lemon sounds really refreshing right now.

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  4. Amira: You must try them - so refreshing.

    pigpigscorner: The frosting is definately a must!

    VeggieGirl: Thanks!

    Ashley: They are so light, a much needed break from all those heavy desserts. Although when you eat about 20 of them, I think things even out.

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  5. I know you are totally loving your new mixer. In a couple weeks I hope to get one. What size did you get?
    You frosted these cookies perfectly. When I made my lemon loaf I had such a hard time. Gorgeous photos as always. Submit them to tastespotting!

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  6. Thanks Dawn, you're always so sweet.

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  7. **Just as a heads up: I will not be able to comment on blogs as often now, during this semester, due to work overload (I'm stressed already) - PLEASE know that I'm still loyally reading, but just won't have time to comment. I hope you understand!!

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  8. I love lemon cookies! I did some a little while ago that I may send you since I am not sure I will be able to post the sorbet in time.

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  9. These lemon cookies loo so good! It would be really nice to have a lemon tree.

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  10. oh man those look so good!! and yes, you can definitely add my muffin recipe to your round up.

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  11. Esi: No worries.

    Kevin: Wouldn't that be great? I imagine all your recipes would taste so much more fresh and organic, and all that good stuff.

    Kickpleat: Thanks so much, I just grabbed the link.

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  12. These look soooo good. I love love LOVE meyer lemon icing. As in I can take a spoon and just eat the stuff straight!

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  13. These look amazing! Lemon is one of those flavors that has grown on me over the years. I didn't like it for a while, but now I enjoy the refreshing quality it has. Great recipe!

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  14. I could TOTALLY go for a few of these...they look fantastic. Plus they're iced too - yumm.

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  15. Gorgeous pictures, especially the gooey icing.

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  16. Boy would one of those cookies really brighten this cold, overcast, day. Gorgeous!

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  17. Oh Hayley..you make me Meyer lemon cookie happy today!! Love these!
    I also wnated to add that your writing maturity is beyond that of a 22 year old :)

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  18. Those cookies sound excellent (I'm in the middle of over-doing it with citrus these days) and the frosting is really the icing on the ca, er, cookie.

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  19. Sounds great... What kind of baking surface is that black thing? Must be great at browning.

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  20. Jude: It's just a non-stick cookie sheet, nothing fancy.

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  21. I planted a few lemon seeds to see what would happen and I actually have lemon seedlings! Now I just have to wait 12-15 years to get a lemon ;) This is how much I LOVE lemons. Obviously I must try these cookies, they look fantastic!

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  22. Cookies and pix look great. Meyer lemons are the best. I'll be getting some more tomorrow--I have a secret source from a friend's tree.

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  23. I had to order my Meyer lemon's on line cause no one carried them here in Utah that I would find. My lemons finally got here and I just made these today. Yum! Mine didn't look at pretty as yours, but they tasted good. =)

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  24. I am in Argentina, in a city called Mar del Plata. I love cooking and baking. I try every recipe depending on what I have in hand. Today I have a lot of lemons. I am making the dough as I write. I separated the dough in tree and added roasted almonds to part and ginger with almonds to another. So I will try the 3 different version. I WILL LET YOU KNOW

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  25. Yum Yum Yum. We finally got meyer lemons in Vancouver and I've been enjoying finally having a chance to bake with them. These are delicious and I loved all the little tips to help make them perfect.
    Thanks so much!

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  26. I've been using your recipe for meyer lemon cookies for the last 2 years! thanks for the awesome cookies!

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