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Christmas cookie recipes and other holiday treats

Ready to roll up your sleeves and get baking this December? Stir It Up! has a list of Christmas cookies recipes, plus some bonus holiday treats sure to get your kitchen in the holly jolly spirit.

Lemon melting moments

The Pastry Chef's Baking
These butter cookies are nice and crisp. Let the lemon filling sit for a bit to firm up, then ice away.

  • By Laura Edwins Contributor

By Carol Ramos, The Pastry Chef's Baking 
From IttyBittyKitchen.com

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of one lemon

Filling:

1 cup confectioners sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

juice of one lemon

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl cream the butter, salt, and sugar until light and fluffy on a medium setting, roughly three minutes. Reduce the speed to low and incorporate the vanilla and lemon zest, scraping down the sides as you go. Sift the flour and cornstarch into the mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

3. Take small portions of the mixture and roll into balls, continue until you have 24-30. If you want them to be as even as possible, roll out the mixture until it forms a log then use a clean knife to section into 30 pieces.

4. Place them on a baking tray lined with wax paper, gently press on each piece with a fork until it has left an imprint. You can also press on them gently with your fingers, if you do not wish to leave an imprint. (You can also chill the dough at this point, if so, don't preheat the oven until you're ready to bake.)

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool completely.

6. For the filling, beat the sugar, butter, and lemon juice on a medium setting until incorporated. Use the back of a spoon, or a knife to ice one side of the cookie then sandwich them together. Try to find two which are similar sizes.

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Mark Sappenfield
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