Lemon Butter Cookies

Summertime, how I miss thee!  Here in Michigan we are in the dead of winter and it is that time of the year where I start counting down the days till summertime!  Summer is the best time of the year, and during these cold winter days, sometimes it can seem like summer will never get here! 

Citrus fruits are at their seasonal peak during the darkest and coldest part of the year (now), and these Lemon Butter Cookies are just the ticket to remind me that summer, okay spring, is okay weeks away. 

Photo by 80 Breakfasts.

Lemon Butter Cookies
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Ingredients:
For the Cookies:
1 cup & 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon Lemon Zest, finely grated
7 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes
1 Egg Yolk

For the Glaze:
1 cup Powdered Sugar
3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, fresh

Directions:
For the Cookies:
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and lemon zest. Add the chilled butter and cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add in the egg yolk and using a fork, stir until blended. Using your hands, gently knead the bough until it comes together and forms a ball. (Note: If the dough looks too dry add some ice water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture comes together.)

Once the dough has been formed into a ball, cut the dough in half and roll each half into a log about 1-inch in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and allow them to chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. (Note: You can freeze the dough for up to a month if you do not want to bake all of the cookies immediately!)

Once you are ready to bake the cookies pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the logs from the freezer, unwrap and slice into 1/4-inch think rounds using a serrated knife. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and back for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to completely cool before glazing them.

For the Glaze:
Place the powdered sugar into a small mixing bowl and add the lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture is syrupy. Glaze the cookies using a pastry brush, the back of a spoon, or place the glaze into a piping bag and pipe onto the cookie. Allow the cookies to sit until the glaze is set.

Source: adapted slightly from 80 Breakfasts.