Iced Citrus Crackly Cookies Recipes

CITRUS CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Combine the butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes.
• Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, citrus zest, citrus juice and food coloring and beat until incorporated. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in another small bowl. Scoop tablespoons of the chilled dough and roll into balls. Toss each ball in the granulated sugar first, then in the confectioners' sugar, coating them very generously and thoroughly. Arrange the balls about 1 inch apart on 2 baking sheets (you should have 24 balls). Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Position the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake until the cookies spread, the tops crack and the edges are firm, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CITRUS SLICE COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs with electric stand mixer on medium-low speed or with electric hand mixer on lowest speed until well combined. Add flour and salt; beat until soft, nonsticky dough forms. (You should be able to handle the dough without it sticking to your fingers. If dough is sticky, beat in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes to the correct consistency.)
• On work surface, shape dough into a ball. Divide into 3 equal portions. Return one-third of dough to bowl; beat in orange peel, orange extract and drops of yellow and red food color until orange color is consistent. Remove dough from bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Clean bowl; add another one-third portion of dough. Beat in lemon peel, lemon extract and drops of yellow food color until yellow color is consistent. Remove dough from bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Leave remaining one-third of dough plain; cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate all dough portions 1 hour.
• Shape each portion of tinted dough into a roll about 5 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter; set aside. On lightly floured work surface, roll plain dough into a rectangle. Place roll of orange dough on plain dough. Roll plain dough in a single layer around orange dough. Cut away excess dough; reserve for yellow dough.
• Place orange sanding sugar on plate; roll dough log in sugar until completely coated. Wrap sugar-coated dough log in plastic wrap; refrigerate. Repeat process with lemon dough, remaining plain dough and yellow sanding sugar. Refrigerate dough logs at least 4 hours.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• Cut chilled logs into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds. With back edge of knife, score "segment" lines into each round, making only indentations (do not go all the way through). Cut rounds in half; place on cookie sheets.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.

LEMON CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest and juice, and yellow food coloring. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix once more, making sure everything is combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Cover bowl and refrigerate cookie dough for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Scoop dough using a cookie scoop or spoon into roughly 1 1/2-inch rounds. Slightly flatten cookies to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Pour powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Place flattened rounds in powdered sugar and cover until well coated. Remove with a fork or spoon and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are no longer glossy and have a matte look, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

ICED LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, oil and lemon peel until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Dip bottom of small glass into 3 tablespoons sugar; press on cookies to make about 2 inches in diameter.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to set and cookies are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 2 cups powdered sugar and enough lemon juice until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting on cookies. Sprinkle nuts on frosting before it sets.

CRISP LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice, zest and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. , Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat the bottom of a glass with cooking spray; dip in sugar. Flatten cookies with glass, redipping in sugar as needed., Bake until edges are lightly browned, 11-13 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Drizzle with melted vanilla chips.

ICED CITRUS CRACKLY COOKIES

Steps:

• Evenly space the oven racks in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F on the convection setting, if available. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth. Add the sugar and citrus zest and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. (The creaming is important to get a great texture, so don't skimp here.) Add the yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the extracts.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing at low speed to make a soft dough.
• Scoop the dough into rounded heaping tablespoons with a cookie scoop or measuring spoon. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the prepared pans. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. (The cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month.).
• Bake the cookies, straight from the freezer, until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• For icing: Mix the confectioners' sugar, colored sugar and appropriate flavored zest in a medium bowl. Add the citrus juice and mix with an electric mixer to make a firm but pourable icing. (If needed, add up to 1 teaspoon more juice, but take care that if the icing is too loose it won't set.) Dip the rounded side of the cooled cookies into the icing, then let the excess icing fall back into the bowl. Dry cookies icing side up on a rack. Serve.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.