Tangy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar and baking soda. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl, if using a hand mixer), combine sugar and salt. Zest both lemons over the sugar, then rub the zest into the sugar using your fingertips until moistened. (It will lightly stain the sugar yellow and release a strong lemony aroma.)
• Beat the butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, stopping and scraping the bowl at least once in the process.
• In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolk and limoncello. With the mixer on low speed, stream the mixture into the creamed butter. Stop and scrape the bowl with a spatula, then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 30 seconds.
• With the mixer off, add the flour mixture, then mix on low speed until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, working in the bowl, fold the dough over several times with your hands to ensure it is uniform.
• Fill a small bowl with the poppy seeds. Portion the dough into heaping tablespoons (about 25 grams each) and set them on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Round each piece of dough into a ball, then roll in the poppy seeds until completely coated.
• Transfer back to the baking sheet, setting at least 1 inch apart. Cover the surface with another sheet of parchment and press down with a second cookie sheet to evenly flatten cookies to about 1/2-inch thick.
• Chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment (or grease with butter). When cookies have chilled and oven is ready, transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets spaced about 3 inches apart. (Keep remaining cookies in the freezer until ready to bake.)
• Working in batches, bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets after 8 minutes from front-to-back and bottom-to-top. Cookies will be just golden on the edges and puffy in the center but should no longer look wet.
• Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to cooling racks. Store cookies in a sealed container, and enjoy within 1 to 2 days. Bake remaining cookies, or wrap and freeze chilled cookie dough. Once firm, transfer cookie dough to a covered container or sealed bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. You can bake the cookies straight from the freezer.

Steps:

• For the filling: Combine the cranberries, water or juice and the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Once the liquid has come to a boil and the berries have popped, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or bowl of a food processor; let cool for 10 minutes, then puree until almost smooth. Strain out or remove any whole bits, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the cookies: Combine the butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed to blend, then on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, then add the lemon zest, vanilla extract and the tablespoon of poppy seeds, beating to incorporate.
• Combine the flour and salt in a bowl or on a sheet of wax paper. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and beat on low speed just until a dough forms into large clumps (on the way to becoming a ball).
• Divide in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
• Lightly flour a work surface, or place the dough between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Divide each portion in half (again, to form quarters of dough). Working with one quarter at a time, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/16 inch (or as thin as possible). Use a 3- to 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut out 12 cookies, or a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut out 18 cookies, transferring them to the baking sheets with an offset spatula. It's best to re-roll the dough only once.
• Sprinkle the cut-out cookies lightly with poppy seeds. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until just set but not browned. Let cool on the baking sheet while you roll and cut out the remaining portion of dough, using the same-size cookie cutter to make 12 large or 18 medium cookies. If desired, use a smaller cookie cutter to create a center "window" in each of these cookies so the filling will show through. (Bake the mini rounds as well.) Sprinkle the cookies lightly with poppy seeds. Repeat the baking and cooling steps.
• At this point, the cookies can be frozen until they are assembled into sandwiches.
• Spread the first batch of cookies with a thin layer of homemade or store-bought cranberry jam, leaving a narrow margin at the edges. Top with the cooled cookies from the second batch, pressing together gently to form cookie sandwiches. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• FOR COOKIES:
• Mix flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in egg, then poppy seeds, lemon peel and extracts. Mix in dry ingredients in 3 additions. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 2 large baking sheets. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 21/2-inch-diameter fluted cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps; reroll and cut out more cookies. Chill cookies on baking sheets 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies until edges just begin to color, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 3 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool completely. Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining dough. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.)
• FOR FILLING:
• Beat all ingredients in large bowl until light and fluffy. Spread 2 teaspoons filling over bottom of 1 cookie. Press second cookie, bottom side down, onto filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Steps:

• In medium mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds.
• Add granulated sugar, poppy seeds, and baking soda and beat until combined.
• Beat in egg yolk, milk, lemon peel, and vanilla until combined.
• Beat in as much of flour as you can with electric mixer, then using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
• Divide dough in half.
• Shape each half into 9 inch long roll.
• Wrap both "logs" in plastic wrap.
• Chill in refrigerator for 4 or more hours (up to 24).
• Using a sharp knife (or string/dental floss) cut dough into 1/2 inch slices.
• Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake at 375°F for 7-9 minutes or until edges are firm and bottom is light brown.
• Place powdered sugar in plastic bag. While still warm transfer several cookies at a time to bag and shake gently until coated. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. When completely cool, shake cookies in powdered sugar one more time.