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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Lemon Melt Away Cookies and Zebra Cookies


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Meltaway...that's the perfect name for these little shortbread type cookies with a slight bit of frosting on them because that's what they do, melt in your mouth when you eat them.   To Read More, Click On The Recipe Title.


The lemon in the cookie and frosting is refreshing, I loved this cookie, and so did my co workers. They were amazed at how light and delicate these cookies were. I couldn't stop eating them ! One wasn't enough, I found myself going back to the plate popping yet another in my mouth, again and again! Sef control is not my strong suit!! Here's the recipe, judge for yourself, but don't say you weren't warned!! LOL!!

Lemon Meltaways
Land O Lakes


Cookie Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel

Frosting Ingredients:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all cookie ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 8x1-inch log. Wrap each in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (1 to 2 hours).

Heat oven to 350°F. Cut each log into 1/4-inch slices with sharp knife. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until set. (Cookies will not brown.) Cool completely.

Combine all frosting ingredients in small bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until fluffy. Frost cooled cookies.

Recipe Tip Tips for successful Lemon Meltaways:

This cookie is a shortbread-type cookie with a high proportion of butter to flour and sugar. The dough may seem slightly more crumbly. Egg is not an ingredient in this type of cookie.
Be sure to measure all ingredients accurately using the proper measuring cups. For dry ingredients use graduated metal or plastic measuring cups. Spoon the dry ingredient lightly into a measuring cup. Do not tap or shake the cup or scoop the ingredient into the cup. Level off any excess amount by running a straight-edge or table knife across the top.

Use measuring spoons to measure liquids in this recipe rather than tableware spoons for accuracy.

The butter in this recipe should be softened, but not melted. For best results let butter stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before mixing the cookie dough. Or, cut the butter into chunks or pieces for easier mixing. Also, 3/4 cup butter equals 1 1/2 sticks of butter.
If the dough is dry and crumbly after beating, add 1 to 2 tablespoons cream or soft butter, adding 1 tablespoon at a time until dough forms


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Zebra Cookies

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This is my husbands favorite cookie, a peanut butter cookie with a miniature Reeses Peanut butter cup smack dab in the middle and a semi sweet chocolate glaze drizzled on top. I've made these at Christmas time for years. But in past years I've made it with the refrigerated cookie dough in the dairy section of the grocery store, yes I've cheated , but only because I've never found a peanut butter cookie recipe that made soft cookies. I love soft cookies. This year I wanted to make it from scratch, which I did...I liked the peanut butter cookies this recipe made, really I did, but for THIS cookie the refrigerated cookie dough makes a better cookie. GASP!! How could store bought refrigerator cookies make a better cookie!!!??? I don't know, I'm just telling you the honest truth, for this cookie , it did. Go figure. Don't get me wrong ,the from scratch cookies were good too, But given a choice ,I would rather make them with the....well you know. Don't hurt me *sigh*. IF you decide to cheat and use the refrigerator dough, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces, take a hunk of dough and wrap it around a mini Reeses Peanut butter cup, it'll look like a little ball. Place the ball on a cookie sheet ( don't put more than 6 on a sheet at a time, they spread) and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep the rest of the dough cold in the fridge till your ready for it. After the cookies have cooled, melt some semi sweet chocolate in a saucepan adding shortening till you have the consistency for drizzling on top of the cookies. For those who don't want to cheat ,here's the peanut butter cookie recipe I used to make these cookies. I only used 1/2 this batter for the Zebra Cookies as this recipe makes oodles of cookies! The instructions would be the same for the scratch cookies as for the refrigerated cookie dough, just grab enough dough to wrap around the peanut butter cup, it's pretty simple. I baked them at 350 degrees but NOT for 15 minutes, more like 10 minutes. When they puffed up , I took them out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet. Then drizzled with chocolate.

The Last Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe You'll ever Try
RecipeZaar

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter, your choice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3 3/4 cups flour
12 ounces peanut butter chips (didn't use these for the Zebra Cookies)
1 cup nuts (optional) (didn't use these)

Directions
1 Cream peanut butter and margarine, add sugars and mix well.
2 Add eggs and mix until creamy.
3 Add remaining ingredients.
4 Chill for one hour-I usually skip this step and chill between batches.
5 Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheets- do not flatten.
6 Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. ( I baked at 350 for about 10 minutes)
7 Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer onto newspaper- the newspaper soaks up extra grease so the cookies don't become crumbly, little trick I learned from my MIL- this is also optional.
8 Immediately after the cookies are completely cooled I always transfer them to an airtight container. Several posters have mentioned the cookies get hard if you leave them out. I have never had that problem - these cookies have always stayed soft and moist if they are stored in an airtight container.

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18 comments:

Dewi said...

Wow,
All of those cookies look so delicious, I am so impress!

Lucy..♥ said...

Bunny & Carol..... WOW!!! They all look sooo gooood!!!The Lemon Meltaways are so good, they're one of my favorites, and I can definitely see the Pecan Pie Cookies being a favorite around here.... KUDOS!!

Lori said...

I will take a little of each. I have to say that the one's that I would try first would be the after dinner mints and the lemon meltaways. You guys are so busy!

Proud Italian Cook said...

Bunny and Carol, Just when I thought I was done baking, you're dragging me back in the kitchen!
Lemon meltaways and pecan pie, you don't have to twist my arm. SOLD!!

Cristine said...

Those all look amazing, but the lemon meltaways are calling my name! :)

Oh, and Nathan tries to read my blog when he can but he has very limited internet where he is at. :)

Marie Rayner said...

There's some really tasty looking cookies there gals!!! I think I may have promised some of my co-workers some cookies on Monday so I may be giving one or two of these a try!!

Emily said...

What amazing cookies you made! They all look so good.

The lemon ones in particular are calling my name. YUM!

giz said...

You know you're creating a whole new baking day for me. It's now reaching obsessive proportions - I can't resist any of these cookies.

Gloria Baker said...

Bunny and Carol, these cookies look absolutely nice and wonderful, georgeous!!! Happy Christmas to you!!, love, Gloria

grace said...

i love them all, obviously, but guess which ones i like best...

if you guessed lemon meltaways, you're right--it's the 3/4 cup of butter that's enticing me. :)

vanillasugarblog said...

I remember those lemon meltaways as a kid, but had forgotten about them. I'm so glad you made these. I missed them for so long.
This is the best post--you guys really outshined here.

The Blonde Duck said...

I think my hips just exploded out of my jeans! God these look good!

Cristine said...

Stop by my blog when you get a chance... there's an award waiting for you. :)

Susan from Food Blogga said...

So many goodies, it's hard to choose my favorite. Though I think I'm with your husband on this one. I'm going with the pb cookies. YUM! Thanks for the wonderful assortment of cookies, Bunny and Carol!

Anonymous said...

Oh, pecan pie cookies and after dinner mint...yummy, I mean these look absolutely wonderful!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Do you need help eating all those cookies? I'd be happy to help. Great job on all the delish cookies!
~ingrid

Jaime said...

ooooh those lemon meltaways might have to replace the lemon frosted cookies i made (also from land o lakes) - will have to try them and see!

Everyday Is Delicious said...

I don't know where to start! I'm in heaven, they are all so pretty and decadent looking. I'd like one of each!