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How To Make High Tea Lemon Cookies
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This wonderful photo of my High Tea Lemon Cookies was send to me by Food Stylist, Kristine Duran-Thiessen, of Bronte, NSW Australia. Krisstine says "I hope you like this photo. It was taken by a wonderful photographer, Emma Reilly, who works for the big magazines in Australia. I needed to get some picture done to demonstrate how I style shoots, etc. This is a fabulous recipe! I've passed on your website to some friends already (the ones who I've made these cookie for), and everyone wants the recipes. They are to die for! I let the icing drop down the sides and garnished the tops with lemon zest for looks." Check out more of Linda's favorite Cookie Recipes and Secrets To Making Perfect Cookies. Don't forget to check out my American High Tea or Afternoon Tea Menu (with recipes) which includes these delicious High Tea Lemon Cookies. High Tea Lemon Cookies 2 cups butter, room temperature* * Very important - please read! You must use room temperature butter (not softened or melted butter). I get emails from bakers saying that their cookies turn out all crumbly. It usually turns out that they have not used room temperature butter. I, personally, make these cookie every year for our Spring Teas. The recipe is correct. These cookies are always the favorite at our teas. NOTE: If you live in a high humidity area, check out comments below. ** Yes, this is correct - use 1 1/2 cups cornstarch. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy looking. Add powdered sugar; mix until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract; beat well. Add flour and cornstarch into butter mixture and mix well until well combined. NOTE: At first the dough will look dry - but don't worry, as the dough slowly comes together as you mix it and the butter melts into the dry ingredients. Do not refrigerate this dough, as the butter will harden and make the dough unmanageable for rolling to a ball. Using your hands, roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake 15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from oven, carefully remove from baking sheet, and cool on wire racks (when warm the cookies are delicate). When cookies have cooled, spread Lemon Frosting onto top of cookies. Yields 6 dozen cookies.
1/3 cup butter, room temperature In a medium bowl, combine butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar; stir until well mixed. NOTE: Additional lemon juice may be needed to get the frosting thin enough. NOTE: After making many batches of Lemon
Frosting, I now thin the frosting with additional lemon juice or water and
dip the top of the cookie into it. This technique is much faster and easier.
Alternative to hand rolling the cookie dough: I just wanted to let you know that I have used this recipe for two teas at our church (Faith United Church in Springfield MA). Everyone marveled at the flavor and ease of popping one in the mouth and the delightful flavor. I have passed your recipe on to many others. I also want to add that I used the small cookie scoop from Pampered Chef and it made it a lot easier to make. I made sure that I pressed hard against the bowl (pressed the dough into the scoop) to make sure that they would stay together. What a time saver!! Last year I rolled the balls and this year used the scoop. No one new the difference. I did not have to roll the balls out and I made over six (6) dozen cookies. Jo Ann Smeltz Comments regarding "room temperature" butter: I have written you before, about three years ago, regarding your High Tea Lemon Cookies. They are my absolute favorite cookie to make. I'm planning a tea and these will again be my favorite cookie on the table. I'm crazy about your website, and as far as I'm concerned it's the best! I am having fun planning a tea for my mom's 90th birthday and besides the cookies, will be using some of your sandwich recipes. Since I live in Houston, the lemon cookies gave me fits the first few times I used them because I let the butter get to "room" temperature. Room temperature in Houston is high humidity, and even with the air conditioning turned down low the butter will get too soft. I've found the best way to make these cookies where they don't spread out thin is to use the butter right out of the fridge, cutting it in chunks and immediately put in the mixer and blend with the sugar, etc. Thank you for continuing to encourage us
with your great recipes and website! Question: Follow Up:
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These
cookies are what I call my signature cookies. I take them to all my book signing (I tell everyone one they are to
bribe their stomachs so they will know how great my book is). This is
an old-fashion recipe that is very rich and delicious. If you love lemon,
you'll absolutely love these cookies. Be prepared though, all your
friends will want this recipe after they taste these delicious cookies.
I usually don't give this recipe out
(I want to sell books.) But for all of you, here it is. 
Lemon
Frosting:
