Recipe: High Tea Lemon Cookies with Lemon Frosting (using cornstarch)

HIGH TEA LEMON COOKIES

"These are my signature cookies. I take them to all my book signings (What's Cooking America by Linda Stradley). They are absolutely wonderful. They are an old-fashioned recipe (check out all the cornstarch). Have not found anyone who does not like them."

2 cups butter, room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
Lemon Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar; cream together until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract; beat well.

Sift flour and cornstarch into butter mixture and beat well until well mixed.

Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Carefully remove from oven and cool on wire racks (when warm, the cookies are delicate).

When cool, spread Lemon Frosting onto top of cookies.

LEMON FROSTING
This recipe makes enough frosting for a double batch of cookies.

1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar; stir until well mixed.

Makes 6 dozen cookies
From: Linda, Or - 09-02-97