Puffed Heart Lemon Cookies

Total Time: 53 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar (3-1/4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons meringue powder (with cake decorating supplies at crafts stores)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 3 -4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• red food coloring

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375 degrees f. lightly coat 3-inch heart shape pans* or 3-1/2-inch muffin top pans with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• 2 in small bowl stir together flour and baking powder; set aside.
• 3 in a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. add the sugar. beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. beat in eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. beat in flour mixture. stir in lemon peel.
• 4 using about 2 tablespoons batter, spread into the prepared heart shape pans or muffin top pans. bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. carefully transfer to a cooling rack; cool completely.
• 5 spread half the cookie tops with lemon glaze and the other half with pink lemon glaze, or frost all one color. let stand on wire rack until icing is dry. transfer some of the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a writing tip or a small self-sealing plastic bag with a small corner snipped off to pipe initials, if desired. makes about 20 cookies.
• 6 lemon glaze: in a large bowl stir together 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice and 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar. spoon half the mixture into another bowl. one drop at a time, add red food coloring; stir thoroughly between each addition to reach desired shade of pink.
• 7 royal icing: in a large mixing bowl combine one 16-ounce package powdered sugar (3-1/4 cups), 2 tablespoons meringue powder (with cake decorating supplies at crafts stores), 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. add 1/2 cup warm water. beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until sugar mixture is very stiff. add 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel. cover bowl with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap; refrigerate up to 2 days. makes about 5 cups.