I am really excited about this recipe, I modified a regular cut out cookie recipe by adding lemon zest and cinnamon to give the cookies a bright flavor for spring.  The addition of cardamom would add an extra flavor note to this recipe, unfortunately,  I didn’t have any on hand.  One of the best things about this cut out recipe is that there is no chill time for the dough.  You can mix it and use it right away.  I love how they taste and my husband even said this recipe is a keeper!  I hope you can use it to delight your family!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon (or orange zest) from 1 lemon or orange
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Measure out flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a bowl and mix together with a spoon.  Set aside.

Zest the lemon into a small bowl.

Put butter and sugars into the mixing bowl and cream together.  Scrape down the bowl and beat in the vanilla, lemon zest, and egg.

Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture, scraping down the bowl halfway through.

Prepare the work surface by sprinkling flour on top.  Place your dough on your work surface.  If your dough still has some dry bits at the bottom of the bowl just work it in by hand.   I like to split the dough in half and work in two batches.  You will want to coat your rolling pin with flour a lot since the dough can be a little sticky at first.

Roll the dough about 1/2″ thick and cut out the cookies.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, you will need less bake time if you have smaller cutters, and more if you have larger cutters.  I baked my large egg cookies for about 14 minutes.

Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before moving them onto a wire cooling rack.

While the cookies are cooling you can prepare the frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Cream the butter with the salt and vanilla.  Gradually add the sugar and milk in increments.  Add more milk if you think its too thick, more sugar if its too thin.  When you have the consistency you want, continue to mix the frosting until it has lightened in color and looks fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Have fun decorating your cookies!
The frosting will harden, so if you’re adding decorative sugars, do it quickly!

This frosting recipe makes enough for me to frost and decorate 2 dozen cookies.  If you have extra you can refrigerate it for a week or put it in the freezer for up to a month.

This is a great recipe to do with kids, they love decorating cookies!  I was lucky enough to have my young neighbors come over just in time to help frost!

They decorated their cookies with decorative sugars and edible glitter and took them home to share with their parents.