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Since I didn't send them this year, I didn't want to confuse people but for those of you with five extra hours on hand, these are REALLY good. A total pain in the arse to make and every year I swear I'll never do them again...
These tart, crisp cookies are great topped with lime-colored decorating sugar and can be dressed up with optional icing.
Makes 50 to 60 cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon regular lime zest or Key lime , plus 1 teaspoon finely grated
• 6 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lime flavoring oil, such as Boyajian
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons lime-color decorating (crystal) sugar
For the icing
•
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice
• 1 to 2 drop yellow food coloring (optional)
• 1 to 2 drop green food coloring (optional)
Directions:
For the cookies: In a small bowl, combine the oil and lime zest. Let stand, covered, for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours.
Meanwhile, in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, heat the lime juice until reduced to 2 1/2 tablespoons. Let cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat together the oil-lime zest mixture and the sugar until well blended. Add the butter, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the reduced lime juice, the vanilla extract and the lemon extract or lime flavoring oil until well blended and smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat or stir in the flour mixture to form a smooth dough. If the dough seems soft, let stand for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. If it seems dry, stir in up to 1 tablespoon water.
Divide the dough in half. Roll out each portion between sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Occasionally check the underside of the dough and smooth out any wrinkles. Stack the rolled portions (paper still attached) on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or freeze for about 15 minutes, or until cold.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease several baking sheets or coat lightly with nonstick spray oil.
Working with one portion of dough at a time and keeping the rest refrigerated, gently peel off the top sheet of paper, then pat loosely back into place so it will be easy to remove later. Invert the dough and peel off the second sheet. Using a 2 1/4-inch-round cutter, cut out the cookies, then cut each round in half with a sharp knife. If at any point the dough softens too much to handle easily, transfer the paper and cookies to a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Re-roll any dough scraps and continue cutting out the cookies until all the dough is used. Generously sprinkle the cookie tops with the decorating sugar.
Bake one sheet at a time for 7 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to brown at the edges. If necessary, reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Using a wide spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Top with icing, if desired.
For the icing (optional): In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until smooth. Add the yellow and green food coloring, if desired. If necessary, add more sugar or juice to yield a piping consistency (stiff enough to hold its shape but soft enough to pipe through a fine tip). Place the icing in a paper decorating cone or pastry bag fitted with a fine writing tip. Space the cookies slightly apart on a rack set over parchment paper or wax paper. To suggest lime slices, pipe a thin line around the perimeter of each cookie, then add "segments" by piping a dot in the center and 7 thin spokes radiating out from the dot to the perimeter. Let stand until the icing sets, at least 30 minutes.
Store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. May be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from "The All-American Dessert Book," by Nancy Baggett (Houghton Mifflin, 2005).
These tart, crisp cookies are great topped with lime-colored decorating sugar and can be dressed up with optional icing.
Makes 50 to 60 cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon regular lime zest or Key lime , plus 1 teaspoon finely grated
• 6 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lime flavoring oil, such as Boyajian
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons lime-color decorating (crystal) sugar
For the icing
•
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice
• 1 to 2 drop yellow food coloring (optional)
• 1 to 2 drop green food coloring (optional)
Directions:
For the cookies: In a small bowl, combine the oil and lime zest. Let stand, covered, for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours.
Meanwhile, in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, heat the lime juice until reduced to 2 1/2 tablespoons. Let cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat together the oil-lime zest mixture and the sugar until well blended. Add the butter, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the reduced lime juice, the vanilla extract and the lemon extract or lime flavoring oil until well blended and smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat or stir in the flour mixture to form a smooth dough. If the dough seems soft, let stand for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. If it seems dry, stir in up to 1 tablespoon water.
Divide the dough in half. Roll out each portion between sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Occasionally check the underside of the dough and smooth out any wrinkles. Stack the rolled portions (paper still attached) on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or freeze for about 15 minutes, or until cold.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease several baking sheets or coat lightly with nonstick spray oil.
Working with one portion of dough at a time and keeping the rest refrigerated, gently peel off the top sheet of paper, then pat loosely back into place so it will be easy to remove later. Invert the dough and peel off the second sheet. Using a 2 1/4-inch-round cutter, cut out the cookies, then cut each round in half with a sharp knife. If at any point the dough softens too much to handle easily, transfer the paper and cookies to a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Re-roll any dough scraps and continue cutting out the cookies until all the dough is used. Generously sprinkle the cookie tops with the decorating sugar.
Bake one sheet at a time for 7 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to brown at the edges. If necessary, reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Using a wide spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Top with icing, if desired.
For the icing (optional): In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until smooth. Add the yellow and green food coloring, if desired. If necessary, add more sugar or juice to yield a piping consistency (stiff enough to hold its shape but soft enough to pipe through a fine tip). Place the icing in a paper decorating cone or pastry bag fitted with a fine writing tip. Space the cookies slightly apart on a rack set over parchment paper or wax paper. To suggest lime slices, pipe a thin line around the perimeter of each cookie, then add "segments" by piping a dot in the center and 7 thin spokes radiating out from the dot to the perimeter. Let stand until the icing sets, at least 30 minutes.
Store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. May be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from "The All-American Dessert Book," by Nancy Baggett (Houghton Mifflin, 2005).