Tea-Time Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Enjoy these lemon flavored sandwich cookies – a perfect tea-time dessert. MORE+ LESS-

By Pillsbury Kitchens

August 27, 2010

Ingredients

cup butter, softened

3/4

cup vanilla ice cream, softened

1 1/2

teaspoons grated lemon peel

cups all purpose or unbleached flour

1/4

cup sugar

3/4

cup powdered sugar

1/4

cup butter, softened

teaspoon grated lemon peel

to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

to 2 drops yellow food color, if desired

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1

In large bowl, combine 1 cup butter, ice cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.
2

Heat oven to 375°F. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with floured 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Coat both sides of cut-out cookies with sugar; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With fork, prick each cookie 2 to 4 times.
3

Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 8 minutes or until slightly puffed but not brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool 10 minutes or until completely cooled.
4

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and enough lemon juice for desired spreading consistency; beat at medium speed until smooth. Add food color; mix until well blended. Spread scant 1/2 teaspoon filling between 2 cooled cookies.

Purchased lemon curd can be substituted for the homemade lemon filling. Lemon curd is a creamy mixture of lemon juice, sugar, butter and egg yolks, cooked until thick. When the curd cools, it's thick enough to use as a spread for baked goods.
Use a spatula or pancake turner to turn the cutout cookies in sugar to coat them, and to transfer them to the cookie sheets.
Both the cookies and the filling can be made ahead and stored separately for several days. For the best texture, assemble the cookies just before serving.