Lemon Drop Cookies

Spring has Sprung.

Backyard baseball games...

Limitless popsicles to combat the heat...

Neighbor friends staying for dinner...

And hoses attacking small children for no reason at all...

 For one of my favorite times of the year, I've found a cookie that pretty much

squeezes all of that fun and sunshine into a mouthful.

Just like this...

Marco Isaland - March 2011

I've had these bookmarked forever. I saw them over at See Jane Cook and something about the texture of the cookies had me hooked. They are a chewy lemon cookie with crushed lemon drops in the cookie!  Don't try to substitute butter in this recipe. Trust me. I tried. They still tasted great but were flat as could be. I've made these three times in the last week so I guess that tells you how much I liked them.

Lemon Drop Cookies
Source: See Jane Cook; recipe from 5 Star Recipes from Latter Day Saints

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter flavored shortening
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Finely chopped zest of one lemon
1 (6-oz) package lemon drops
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
juice of two lemons, about 4-5 Tablespoons (I use less because I like my glaze a little thicker)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and eggs; add vanilla and lemon extract. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Crush lemon drops in blender or food processor. Add lemon zest and crushed lemon drops. Roll into balls, flatten slightly with your hand, and bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet (You must use parchment here to avoid sticking).

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on pan for a couple of minutes. Make the  glaze by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice to desired consistency. Brush glaze over cookie tops after cookies have cooled slightly. If the cookies are too hot the glaze will just melt off. Let cookies cool completely.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.