Holiday Baking Part I: Lemon Cookie Sandwiches

With Thanksgiving behind us, everyone knows what comes next. The season full of goodies, hot chocolate and seasonal cheer. My favorite part of this period is the baking, which permeates the house with the smell of freshly baked breads and cookies. Whether you prefer cookies, chocolate, or brownies, pretty much every baking item is welcome. So go ahead and take a crack at this holiday baked good, combining the sweetness of cookies and fruit or creating a holiday chocolate classic.

Recipe adapted from Christmas Cookies

Lemon Cookie Sandwiches

½ Cup Butter, Softened

½ Cup Shortening

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 tsp Lemon Rind

¾ tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Baking Soda

Dash Salt

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

2 ¾ All-Purpose Flour

1 Recipe Lemon Filling (Follows)

Powdered Sugar

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Add granulated sugar, lemon peel, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined.
2. Beat in sour cream, egg and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Then add flour and mix until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and chill in refrigerator for two hours.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out dough one half at a time to ¼ inch thickness. Using a star shaped cookie cutter, cut out dough and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until edges are firm and the bottom of the cookies are light brown.
5. Once cookies have cooled completely, spread about 1 teaspoon of lemon filling on one star and seal with a second star to make the cookie sandwich.
6. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar before serving.

Lemon Filling

3 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Tbsp Butter, Softened

¼ Cup Lemon Curd (usually found next to jello at the grocery store)

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Beat in lemon curd until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Store in refrigerator until cookies are filled.

• cookies
• holiday baking
• holidays
• lemon