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December 12, 2017

Citrus Holiday Cookies

Citrus Holiday Cookies

 

I don’t know about you but I do not usually get excited when it comes to sugar cookie recipes. I feel like they lack something and their only real use is to make cookie shapes for the holidays.  So years ago I began researching cookie recipes that I could try so I had a cookie I liked when I made holiday cookies with the kids.  This is that recipe that I searched so long for and I have been using this recipe for so many years now that it has become a tradition in our home because it is so good!   It comes from Epicurious and there are only a few changes in the recipe since I didn’t want to ruin it 🙂  It can be a tricky dough to work with because it is a little drier than most dough that you roll out but let me tell you it is worth it for the flavor!  Give this recipe a try and you will no longer find sugar cookies to be boring, promise!

Holiday Citrus Cookies
makes about 2 dozen cookies
Recipe adapted from Epicurious
Ingredients:
For cookie dough:
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
the zest of one lemon (with a microplane or zester)
the zest of 1 orange (with a microplane or zester)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
Decorations:
1 cup of powdered sugar for icing
1/2 cup of milk
food coloring
Directions:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, lemon peel and tangerine peel in large bowl until light. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients. Using spoon, stir until mixture forms dough (dough will be soft). Divide dough into thirds. Gather each third into ball; flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly, if necessary, before rolling out.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously flour work surface and rolling pin. Place 1 dough disk on work surface (keep remaining 2 dough disks refrigerated). Press rolling pin into dough several times to flatten slightly for easier rolling. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness, frequently lifting and turning dough to prevent sticking. Using cookie cutters cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to ungreased nonstick baking sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake until cookies turn brown on edges, about 10-15 minutes. Let cookies stand on sheets 1 minute. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. Once cooled you can proceed to the decorating part!
To decorate
Prepare your decorations:
Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar, 6 drops of food coloring(if using) and 2 tbsp of milk in a large shallow bowl. Make sure all of the sugar lumps are gone and the consistency is nice and smooth but not watery. If it is watery just add 1 tbsp of powdered sugar at a time until it thickens. If it is too thick add 1 tbsp of milk at a time until it thins. Add food coloring and mix well if you want color.
Decorate:
Take your cooled cookies and place them face down into the bowl of icing and carefully pull it out and place it on a cooling rack to dry.
The cookies after being iced will need at least 2 hours (or more depending on humidity) to dry fully.

 

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