I always favored crispy cookies but when I saw these I knew I had to give them a try. I thought the icing was a bit scant so I doubled it. Once the icing solidifies the cookies can be packed between layers of waxed paper. The lemon flavour is ever so subtle... The recipe makes 40 good sized cookies.
ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES
1 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp sour cream
2 1/4 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 lemon
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 batch of cookie icing
1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Beat together shortening and sugar in medium bowl until light.
• Add the eggs, sour cream, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Combine the flour and baking powder; add to the shortening mixture gradually and beat until fully combined. Do not overbeat.
• Shape the dough into 40 balls, using about 1 level Tbsp for each.
• Arrange about 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottom is lightly browned.
• Do not over bake, cookies will be soft.
• Remove from the oven and let the cookies solidify in the pan.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let cookies cool.
• Meanwhile make the cookie icing, but omit the vanilla extract and flavour it with 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice.
• Dip the tops of cookies into the lemon flavoured cookie icing.
• Let the icing set until dry to the touch. But go ahead, have one right of way.
• Yields 4 dozen cookies
