Tender Lime Cookies

Lime Cookies

Cookie dough
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 TB lime zest
2 TB lime juice
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 drops green food coloring if desired

Cream butter and sugar then beat in eggs, zest and juice. Sift the dry ingredients together or blend them with a wisk in a separate bowl, then add to the creamed mixture. Food coloring can be added at this point if you wish. These look pretty when they just have a touch of color rather than being an intense green.

Dredging sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lime zest

Drop one teaspoon of dough into the sugar and roll around. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets (or lightly greased sheets). Press flat with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in the sugar mixture. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 7-8 minutes until very lightly browned. Let cool on cookie sheet.

Frosting
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 TB lime zest
1-2 tsp lime juice

Cream cream cheese and butter together then blend in sugar, zest and enough juice to make a nice consistency for spreading. These also look festive with chopped nuts on the top, but are delicious with a light frosting.

Notes: This may take 2-4 limes, depending on size, to get all the zest called for. These would probably be good using lemons or even oranges instead of limes. I like to use a very small ice cream scoop (think teaspoon size) to form the cookies, but a couple of teaspoons work.