So I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Much to my chagrin, Mr. I Dig Pinterest has never been much of a dessert person (he enjoys them, but avoids them, if you know what I mean).
For the longest time I’d make a treat and then suddenly…surprise, surprise…the cookies disappeared and there was no one to point the finger at but myself. I finally realized one day a little while after we were married that I needed to either stop making the tempting delights or my waistline would never be the same again. I found a way around that, however. 🙂
Now I make treats to indulge in a few and then give the rest away. Everyone wins.
Thankfully, my kids attend a playgroup every Friday morning so I have a good excuse to make sweets on Thursday and share them the next day. This recipe makes a large batch, so I brought a gigantic Ziploc bag full of Lemon Drop Candy Cookies to playgroup a little while ago.
I have to admit that I indulged in more than a few of them. I couldn’t help myself. These suckers are GOOD. You’ve been warned.
They’re citrus-y yet sweet, soft and chewy, with an occasional tasty crunch from the crushed drop candies. If you love lemon, you’ll be head over heels for these.
I added a few drops of yellow food coloring to the batter because, call me crazy, but I think lemon food should be yellow.
The key to their softness is to bake them to perfection. I’ve found that 8 minutes is just about right. They may seem a little underdone, but they’re really not, and will stay chewy this way. I add the full amount of shortening, but you can use half butter and half shortening if you’d rather.
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 t. lemon extract
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
4 c. flour
Zest of 1 lemon
1-6 oz. package lemon drop candies, crushed
Wish I could reach through the screen and try one now too!
Food Holiday Linky Party Rate The Plate Utah too! :)
~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
http://dessertnowdinnerlater.blogspot.com
Miz Helen
Pinning to my Cookie Board!
Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
http://mandatorymooch.blogspot.com/2013/07/fantastic-fruit-series-week-1-lemon-love.html