Soft Lemon Drops Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Combine sugar and butter in large mixer bowl.
• Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
• Add sour cream, eggs, lemon peel and lemon extract; continue beating until well mixed.
• Reduce speed to slow; add flour, baking powder and salt.
• Beat until well mixed.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for desired glazing consistency in small bowl.
• Glaze cooled cookies.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F. You'll need mini-muffin pans coated with nonstick cooking spray.
• For lemon drops: Beat all lemon drop ingredients in large bowl with mixer on medium speed several minutes until blended and smooth.
• Transfer the batter into two 1-gallon ziptop bags.
• Seal bags; cut tip off one corner of each bag and pipe batter into prepared muffin cups, filling cups slightly less than 2/3 full.
• Bake 12 minutes, or until a pick inserted in centers comes out clean.
• Remove pans to wire rack and cool 2 minutes; invert muffins onto rack (leave muffins inverted) and cool completely.
• Continue baking batches until all the batter is used up (you'll have about 100 muffins).
• For Lemon Glaze: Place a wire rack over wax paper.
• Beat ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Dip muffins in glaze to coat rounded tops and sides, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl.
• Place on rack until glaze is set.
• For sugared cranberries: In small saucepan over medium heat, bring 2 cups granulated sugar and 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail or water just to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat; stir in 2 cups cranberries.
• Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain well.
• Toss berries in superfine or regular granulated sugar until coated all over.
• Let stand on wax paper 2 hours or until dry.
• To serve: Place each lemon drop in a decorated mini-muffin liner.
• Top with sugared cranberry, if desired.
• Storage tip: Store in airtight containers with wax paper between layers at cool room temperature or in refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze unglazed up to 3 months.

Steps:

• In a mixing glass, combine lemon juice, vodka and sugar. Stir until dissolved, then pour into glasses filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and sprig of mint.