Anytime Is Cookie Time With These Tasty Recipes!

Holidays, parties, after school treats, lunchboxes, etc; what occasion doesn't call for some good cookies? The recipes in this article are sure to please for any occasion. The Hint of Lemon Sugar Cookies are easy and the dough can be frozen up to three months. We should all eat more healthy pumpkin, so why not put it in cookies? The Personalized Pumpkin Cookies are a special treat.

A HINT OF LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

Cookie Recipes

This dough may be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture; beat well after each addition. Beat in the lemon peel and the vanilla extract.
Combine the baking soda with the flour and gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Divide the dough into thirds and shape each into a 10-inch roll. Wrap each roll separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate around 4 hours until firm. (Or see note above about freezing.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap dough and cut into quarter-inch slices. Place slices 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are just lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

When cookies are cooled, frost with the following frosting, if desired.

FROSTING:

3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
Food coloring, if desired
Candy sprinkles, if desired

In a bowl combine the powdered sugar, butter, milk, and food coloring, if using. Mix until combined well. Use to frost cookies.

Suggestions: Using a pastry bag or a zip-top bag with a small hole cut in the corner, design Christmas trees, Jack-0-Lanterns, Easter eggs, initials, names, etc on cookies.

Yield: Approximately 9 1/2 dozen cookies.

PERSONALIZED PUMPKIN COOKIES

1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin
white icing for personalizing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two cookie sheets; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, egg, shortening, and vanilla until creamy.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together into a separate bowl. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture; stir in the pumpkin.

Spoon the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 minute then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Using white icing (or colored with food coloring of your choice), write guests names or initials on cookies. For your family you could put names or just the first initial of your last name on each cookie.

Enjoy!

Anytime Is Cookie Time With These Tasty Recipes!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com
For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com