Lemon Butter Cookies

Photo by Katie Kay

Matt is hosting his 4th Annual Poor Man's Decathlon today.  Its 19 hours of sports, testosterone and drinking.  Of course nothing goes with sports, testosterone and drinking better than cupcakes, amiright?!?  Well, Matt disagreed.  He said no cupcakes.  So I baked these super yummy Lemon Butter cookies instead.    I knew I wanted something light and citrusy.  Even though it looks like rain today, I still think people who physically exert themselves might prefer something a little lighter in their tummies.  (Obviously I am a mom, I say "tummy" and "potty" when I'm talking to adults.)
I don't know a lot about shortbread except for what it tastes like, and these kind of tasted shortbready to me.  Which is of course delicious.  And manly.
Lemon Butter Cookies
Cookies 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 egg yolks (reserve 1 egg white) 1/2 tsp salt 4 cups flour 3 Tablespoons lemon zest
Icing 1 egg white 3 cups powdered sugar 2 Tbsp milk juice from 2 lemons
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixer bowl, blend butter and sugar until well combined.  Add yolks and salt, combine.  Add zest, combine.  Add flour and mix until incorporated (will be stiff and mixer may protest.)
Roll into balls and place on parchment paper-covered cookie sheet.  I found that smaller balls made puffier, taller cookies.  Bigger balls were still puffy, but flattened a little more.  I think the bigger ones made better cookies.  Probably about a tablespoon or just over.  Bake for 12 minutes--do not brown!
Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 4 minutes before moving to a cooking rack.  
To make the icing, combine icing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.  I also added just a smidge of yellow Americolor gel dye.  A little goes a long way.  Pour icing in a ziploc bag and cut a TEENY TINY hole in one of the bottom corners.  So small you can barely see it.  Drizzle cookies with icing while they are on the wire racks, and let them sit overnight so icing can harden.
Inspired by The Pioneer Woman