Citrus Butter Cookies

I made some simple butter cookies yesterday and decided to add some lemon. Then I decided to add some lime because I thought it would be prettier. Then I heard my oranges crying from their lonely produce drawer in the fridge because their citrus compadres were having all the fun. So I decided to throw in oranges, too. I am a uniter of fruit.

I knew I wanted to do a egg white-based icing drizzle, so in order to use the whole egg, I went ahead and added the yolks to the cookie dough.

And then? You won't believe what I did.

No, really. You won't believe it.

I ate one. Okay, fine. I ate two.

Three. I ate three cookies. In the middle of my dang month-long sugar fast.

Does this mean I have to start all over?

Please don't say I have to start all over.

 

[image error]To make the cookies, separate the eggs.

 

 

 

Usually I crack eggs and let the yolk rest on the underside of my fingers while the pleasantly viscous white slithers between them…

But this time I didn't.

I'm a woman of many surprises, I tell you.

 

 

 

Add the butter to the mixer. (You can halve this recipe if you'd like!)

 

 

 

[image error]Then add the sugar…

 

 

 

And whip it together to combine.

 

 

 

Beat in the egg yolks…

 

 

 

Then add in the flour and mix it until it's just combined.

Yes, I still have chocolate on my mixer. But I didn't eat any of that one.

At least I think I didn't.

 

 

 

Next, violently grab lemons, limes, and oranges from your produce drawer.

 

 

 

And zest…

 

 

 

Them…

 

 

 

Up!

 

 

 

Dump all the zest into the dough. You'll need a lot of it, Maynard.

Sorry I called you Maynard. I don't know what came over me.

 

 

 

Finally, squeeze in a little juice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And mix it until it's all combined.

 

 

 

[image error]Grab a teaspoon of dough at a time and roll it into a neat and tidy little ball…

 

 

 

And place the balls onto a large cookie sheet and bake them for about 13 minutes.

 

 

 

Remove them from the oven before they start to brown, then let them sit on the cookie sheet for about three minute before you remove them with a spatula. Throw 'em onto a cooling rack and let 'em cool completely.

They're really best if they're hardly brown at all…so watch 'em!

 

 

 

When the cookies are cool, make the icing. Add powdered sugar to one of the egg whites.

*Note: If you'd prefer not to use the raw egg white, you can use meringue powder mixed with a little water (equivalent measurements are on the packages of meringue powder.)

 

 

 

Add a little whole milk, then whisk it to combine.

 

 

 

Then add some of the juice—orange, lemon, and lime.

 

 

 

I seriously don't know what came over my freaky pink alien claw in this shot, but I do know I'm frightened.

 

 

 

Then add in the zest.

Another note: since you'll need a lot more zest than juice, you'll have some naked/stripped fruit left over. Just keep it in the fridge and it'll be okay for a bit.

 

 

 

Finally, add in a dash of salt and whisk it all together until nice and smooth.

 

 

 

You might need to adjust the ingredient amounts to get it to this consistency. If it's too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Too thick, add a little more juice.

 

 

 

Guess what? You need more zest.

Your kids are gonna reach into the fridge tomorrow and scream because all the fruit looks naked and wrong.

That's what I look like in the shower these days, by the way. Naked and wrong.

Hardee har har. Just kidding.

I think.

 

 

 

To ice the cookies, drizzle lines of icing across rows of cookies.

 

 

 

Then go the other direction.

 

 

 

Finally, sprinkle on the different varieties of zest.

 

 

 

Pretty!

The icing will set up after a little time, and the cookies are even better a few hours later.

At home at a summer picnic or on your holiday cookie platter. Either way, you'll love 'em.

 


Recipe: Citrus Butter Cookies

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
 | 
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
 | 
Difficulty: Easy
 | 
Servings: 36

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Ingredients
2 cups (4 Sticks) Salted Butter, Softened1-1/2 cup Sugar2 whole Large Eggs, Separated4 cups All-purpose Flour3 Tablespoons Orange, Lemon, And Lime Zest (approx 1 Tablespoon Each)2 Tablespoons Orange, Lemon, And/or Lime Juice (2 Tablespoons Total) Icing3 cups Powdered Sugar2 Tablespoons Whole Milk2 Tablespoons Orange, Lemon, And Lime Zest Juice Of 1/2 Lime Juice Of 1/2 Lemon Dash Of Salt Extra Zest, For Decorating Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until combined. Add egg yolks and mix until combined (set whites aside for the icing.) Add the zest and the flour and mix until just combined, then add juice and mix until combined.

Scoop out heaping teaspoons of dough, then roll them into balls between your hands. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep on the cookie sheet for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a spatula and allow to cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, combine 1 egg white with the rest of the icing ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until combined, adding either more powdered sugar or more juice until it reaches a pourable but still thick consistency.

Drizzle the icing across the cookies in several lines, then do it again in the other direction. Sprinkle with extra zest before the icing sets.

Posted by Ree on October 9 2011