LEMON POPPY SEED SHORTBREAD COOKIES – IDEAL FOR AFTERNOON TEA!

Inspired by the Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cakes  that I always enjoyed growing up, these Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies would be equally at home at a fancy afternoon tea. Simple and dainty enough to be unpretentious but fancy enough to be considered a special treat, especially with a little bit of Royal Icing piped on top.

These cookies would also be terrific for gift giving this coming Holiday season. Make a big batch and package them up in clear cellophane bags tied with a pretty ribbon. Take them along to cookie exchanges, Christmas parties or as host gifts whenever you visit someone during the Holidays.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup icing sugar powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of 1 large lemon finely minced
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• For the Royal Icing
• 1 small egg white
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• cup about a of icing sugar powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Cream together the butter and icing sugar very well until very smooth and creamy. No lumps of butter should be visible.
2. Blend in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
3. Sift together the flour and corn starch.
4. Blend slowly into the creamed mixture along with the poppy seeds until a soft dough forms.Form into a 1 inch thick flat disk, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a couple of hours at least.

for full recipes please see : www.rockrecipes.com

Share this post