Lemon Lime Sprig Cookie

A Bountiful Kitchen

dough:

1/2 cup butter
!/2 cup shortening ( I use butter flavored Crisco)

1 cup sour cream
zest from one to two limes, grated fine

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

sugar  for top of cookies

frosting:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 tablespoon sour cream

4 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
zest from one lemon, grated fine

dash of salt

1 drop lemon food coloring

1-2 tablespoons milk**

Preheat oven to 325 convection or 350 regular bake.

Take butter out of refrigerator and microwave for about 15 seconds. Place butter, shortening, cold sour cream and lime zest in a mixing bowl. Mix for about one minute. Add sugar and almond or vanilla flavoring, mix until smooth. Add all dry ingredients at once. Mix just until flour disappears and the mixture comes together in a ball of dough, about 1-2 minutes on very low speed. 

Spray the cookie scoop with a little cooking spray. Scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet. I use either a 1 3/4 inch or a 2 inch scoop. A two inch scoop will produce a cookie similar in size to the Swig cookie. If you don't have a cookie scoop, roll the dough into a ball about the size of a golf ball. 

Place about 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl. 

Flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (press the bottom of the glass against the cookie first, then dip it in the sugar so the sugar will stick) . Press the cookies so they are flattened a bit, twisting the glass as you press to produce a jagged edge. 

Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and cookies are slightly firm to the touch. Remove from oven, let cool. Place the cookies in the fridge and chill. 

Prepare the frosting:

Beat together the butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest and salt. When all ingredients are incorporated, add the drop of food coloring and milk if the frosting needs to be thinned. 

Frost after the cookies are completely chilled. 

Makes about 18  large cookies.