Lemon Bar Cookies

It has been quite the savory kind of week here at The Seaside Baker, and I thought it was finally time for something sweet!

I am on a total lemon kick right now, and can’t seem to get enough. Lemon curd, lemon cake, lemon bars, and these cookies. I just came back from a friend’s house where she loaded me up with probably 30 pounds of lemons and limes…so let the obsession continue! Don’t worry, I will be adding some savory lemon dishes to the mix too….maybe 🙂

Now, about these cookies. They are like a tart lemon curd or bar…in cookie form, mixed with the gooey butter bars that I posted last week. In other words-creamy and tart all in the same bite.

There are a few ingredients that I added to really up the lemon flavor. In addition to the lemon zest and juice I added instant lemon pudding. This is not necessary, but it does help keep the cookies soft and fresh for days. If you don’t want to add the pudding or can’t find it, replace it with corn starch and it will keep the cookies soft. I also added lemon extracts, but I would like to point out that not all extracts are the same. I highly suggest using Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract because it has a true lemon flavor, unlike the artificial tasting extract found at the grocery store. Again, this extract is not absolutely necessary, but highly suggested. You can always add vanilla in its place too.

Anyway, I can’t wait to try these cookies with lime curd or maybe even grapefruit! Don’t you think they would be delicious! Happy baking!

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Lemon Bar Cookies

Ingredients

• 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Instant Lemon Pudding Mix (powder)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 pound cream cheese
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar) for rolling and dusting

Instructions

1. In a bowl combine flour, lemon pudding mix, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a whisk.
2. Using your electric mixer or beaters, beat together cream cheese, butter, sugar, extract and zest.
3. Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture.
4. Mix in lemon juice.
5. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture, beating on slow until just combined.
6. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least one hour.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Scoop out 1 in rounds and roll in a bowl of confectioner's sugar *note dough will be sticky
9. Place on cookie sheet leaving 2 inches between each cookie dough ball.
10. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edge a just barley browned.
11. Cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes then cool completely on cooling rack.

Recipe Notes

recipe adapted from Mathew Rice

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