I have put up my Christmas tree and all of my decorations, now it is time to start baking. I love baking at Christmas time. So here we go with another cookie! I have decided to do some Christmas Cookie recipes. Isn't it fun to mix in some new cookies with your standbys?
This recipe is something I have been dreaming up because I love lemon and poppy seed. I wasn't always a fan, but my mother in law got me a lemon poppy seed wedding cake for a reception that we had at her home and I have been hooked ever since.
I took the idea of an anginetti, which is a cakey iced lemon cookie made throughout southern Italy, I replaced the icing with a lemon glaze, then I added some poppy seeds. This alone would make a good cookie and if you want to stop here - feel free. BUT I decided to make this a really INDULGENT, lemony cookie and add a lemon cream cheese filling. These cookies are best after spending some time in the fridge, at least a few hours - trust me on this.
EQUIPMENT
You will need a pastry bag with a 3/8" wide round tip or you can use a large Ziplock with a hole of a similar size cut into a corner. A pastry brush would also be handy but not essential.
INGREDIENTS:
COOKIES
1/2 c. sugar
6 tbs. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. lemon zest
juice of a large lemon
3 large eggs
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tbs. poppy seeds
GLAZE
1 c. powdered sugar
juice of a halved large lemon
FILLING
8 oz cream cheese or neufchatel cheese
1/3 c. plus 2 tbs. powdered sugar
2 tsp. lemon zest
juice of a halved large lemon
DIRECTIONS:
FOR COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil that has been misted with non stick cooking spray.
Combine flour and baking powder in small bowl and set aside.
Cream sugar and butter along with lemon zest with an electric mixer or with a whisk until creamy. Add lemon juice (be careful of the seeds while you squeeze it out right into the mixing bowl) and vanilla extract. Restart the mixer and add one egg at a time until each is fully incorporated or if whisking by hand beat in one egg at a time (mixture may appear curdled - that's ok). Continue beating for one minute after adding the eggs. Mix slowly as you add flour mixture to form a soft sticky dough. It will be in a semi liquid state.
Spoon dough into pastry bag and pipe 2" circles onto baking sheets, space at least 1 1/2" apart (these spread as they bake). Using fingertips dipped into water, smooth the top of the circles out. Lightly sprinkle poppy seeds on top of each round of dough. Bake until golden brown, approx. 10-12 minutes. In the meantime prepare the glaze.
FOR GLAZE
Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice in small bowl until smooth. Glaze hot cookies using pastry brush immediately after they come out of the oven until they are covered completely. If you don't have a pastry brush then spoon a small amount of glaze on each cookie and spread to cover with back of spoon. Allow cookies to cool completely while still on baking sheets. While cooling prepare filling.
FOR FILLING
With electric mixer, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice for 2-3 minutes. Or if mixing by hand blend with a wooden spoon in medium bowl until all are combined well.
Once cookies are cool add as much filling as you like to one cookie (I used about 1 tbs.) and sandwich together with a second cookie. Should make about 20 cookies.
TO STORE
Store in the fridge for at least a few hours for maximum tastiness. Since cookies are cakey and glazed they will stick to each other. You may want to place wax paper or parchment paper in between the cookies if you plan to stack them.
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