Citrus Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Decorated cookies again? Yes! Who doesn’t love a pretty cookie?

The simple idea of a sugar cookie accented with citrus flavors is so. . .happy. A happy thought!

Citrus is refreshing. Not as heavy as all the chocolate being bandied about this time of year. A nice change occasionally  Although, I do love some heavy, deep, dark chocolate! Mmmmm. . . . I may have just eaten a handful of Dove dark chocolate hearts. What? It’s Valentine’s!!

But citrus makes you feel virtuous. . . .a little. . . doesn’t it? Healthy, refreshed, clean. Like when you go somewhere and they infuse their water with lemon. It’s healthy and refreshing. Right? And not snooty at all. Like at a spa! If they served  these cookies at a spa, I gotta tell ya,  I would feel more  refreshed than drinking that water with floaties.

By the way, whose idea was it that ‘infusing’ water is such a great idea? Ok, it does taste pretty good most of the time if the right fruit is used. However, if it infuses too long you are just getting a tall glass of water with bits of slime floating in it. The fruit breaks down a little and you get floaties in your glass. Like when you let a 2-year-old take a swig of your water after they eat a cracker. You end up with a glass of cracker infused water.

Or maybe I am just picky. Probably. Definitely.

These cookies are just a variation of my usual sugar cookie. Super simple. I use the same icing whenever I decorate but these would be good if you swapped the extracts out of the icing recipe and used lemon extract instead. Lemon extract would be good in the cookie, too, but I kind of like the subtle citrus-y note these cookies have.

Also, I didn’t have lemon extract and I was not going out in the cold just to buy some. Who has lemon extract in their cupboard, anyway? That’s random. This time of year our house DOES have a plethora of citrus fruit in it though so I had lots of stuff to zest. Have I ever mentioned that I could not live without my microplane zester? I use it for everything. Citrus, garlic, hard cheese, chocolate, nutmeg, etc.

Oh and just a reminder for you. . tomorrow is Fat Tuesday. Also known as Paczki day in my world.  Look it up. You need to get your mouth on one.

Ironically my two favorite Paczki flavors are chocolate and lemon. There is an awesome little bakery around here that makes the only paczki you will ever want to eat. My order has been placed for 1 chocolate and 1 lemon and my friendly paczki delivery man (also known as Dad) will be bringing them to me tomorrow. And I will eat them both and enjoy every second of it!

Citrus Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

3 sticks butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 Tbsp lemon juice

3 Tbsp lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1-2 Tbsp orange zest (About 1 large orange)

1 Tbsp lime zest (about 2 limes)

pinch of salt

2 cups powdered sugar

41/2 cups flour

Whip butter several minutes in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, until light and creamy. Add egg. Mix in well. Add zest, lemon juice & salt. Beat well.

Carefully add the powdered sugar and beat until thick and creamy.

Slowly incorporate the flour a little at a time until a thick, stiff dough forms.

Refrigerate dough overnight to allow the citrus flavor to permeate the dough.

The next day (or several days later) allow the dough to sit out an hour or so until room temp. Preheat oven the 350 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface roll out 1/4 of the dough at a time to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes. Place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

As usual, I use this icing for decorating.