Lemon Citrus Shortbread Cookies by @EllieAlexander

The first signs of spring are starting to appear here in the Pacific Northwest as the light lingers later into the evening and buds begin to burst on the cherry trees. I’m so tempted to start planting spring flowers and move my lemon tree back outside. But, I know all too well that spring can be a fickle beast. It’s just as likely to snow next weekend, so for the short term I’m settling with a touch of spring in my kitchen. These Lemon Citrus Shortbread Cookies are light, buttery, with a lovely lemon and orange zest. They’re quick and easy to bake with just a few ingredients. While you wait for spring wherever you are, might I suggest baking up a batch of these delights to tide you over.
~Happy baking!


Lemon Citrus Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
3 cups flour
Turbinado sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter in a mixer until pale yellow and fluffy.

Add in powdered sugar, lemon and orange juices and zest. Mix until well combined.

Slowly add in flour, one cup at a time. Form dough into ball. Dust a cutting board with flour and roll dough out until 1/8 inch thick.

Cut out round shapes—or your favorite spring shapes. Arrange cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Dust with Turbinado sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!


Coming this June the 11th book in the Bakeshop Mysteries, Nothing Bundt Trouble!

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The Recipe Box

My apologies to BB Haywood and all our readers. With the excitement of Easter, I forgot to post her guest blog. With no further ado -- here's BB!


Happy Easter! A wonderful holiday for baking! Baking is one of the joys in my life. I have been baking ever since I can remember. My mother taught me how to bake, with me standing on a chair by the kitchen counter,a giant wooden spoon in hand. It was the family recipes that were important to learn how to bake so that they could be passed down. Many years later when I was packing for college my mother gave me a recipe box with all of the family recipes in it. I have the recipes sorted by season. The summer recipes first~peach custard, lemon squares, 4th of July brownies. Summer turns to Fall with apple crisp, and chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Then come the Christmas cookies~too many delicious cookies to list. Then my favorite time of the year, Springtime. Lemon pecan cookies, lemon shortbread, hot cross buns. Nice, light delicacies.

Yesterday I baked Lemon Pecan cookies so I will share the recipe with you.

Happy Spring!!

Lemon Pecan Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour

1. In a bowl, cream the butter, pecans, lemon rind and vanilla.
Add sugar, egg, flour, and beat until blended.

2. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into rolls. Wrap them in wax paper and refrigerate several hours.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Slice dough into 1/4 inch thick cookies. Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
Remove from pan and cool.

They are a bit addicting , like potato chips!!
Enjoy~~



Beth Feeman is one half the writing team of the Candy Holliday Murder Mysteries written under the pseudonym of B.B.Haywood.

The books are Town in a Blueberry Jam, and Town in a Lobster Stew. They are set in the fictional town of Cape Willington, Maine.

Beth lives in Maine and loves Springtime~