Lemon Snowdrops

Name: Lemon Snowdrops
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 dozen.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon lemon extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; Sugar; FILLING:; 1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten; 2/3 cup sugar; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 4 teaspoons butter; Additional confectioners' sugar, optional

I save my snowdrop cookies for special occasions. The crunchy, buttery sandwich cookie has a puckery lemon filling. —Bernice Martinoni, Petaluma, California

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
Sugar
FILLING:
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons butter
Additional confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Gradually beat in flour. Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into balls (if necessary, refrigerate dough, covered, until firm enough to shape). Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar. Bake until light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
For filling, whisk together egg, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until blended. Add butter; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and a thermometer reads at least 170°, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat immediately (do not allow to boil). Transfer to a small bowl; cool. Press plastic wrap onto surface of filling. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
To serve, spread lemon filling on half of cookies; cover with remaining cookies. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Freeze option: Freeze unfilled, undecorated cookies in freezer containers. To use, thaw cookies in covered containers. Fill and decorate as directed.

Nutrition Facts

1 sandwich cookie: 147 calories, 9g fat (5g saturated fat), 30mg cholesterol, 94mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

Originally published as Lemon Snowdrops in Grandma's Great Desserts Cookbook

Reviews

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Average Rating:

justmbeth

Jan 27, 2019

We absolutely loved these shortbread cookies! The baking time did take a bit longer than the recommended 10-12 minutes.
Irene

Dec 21, 2018

This recipe did not work out. The baking time for the cookies was unclear, and they took 20 minutes to bake, not 10-12. Additionally, the lemon filling turned out disastrously. We tried to heat it to 170 degrees and it just turned into scrambled eggs. The second time, we just heated it to 140 and it still made a very small amount, not nearly enough to fill all of the cookies that the recipe made. Not pleased.
JMartinelli13

Dec 13, 2018

Melt in your mouth texture, great lemon flavor. Would be awesome with orange too.
Jellybug

Nov 29, 2018

I made this cookie with two of my grandsons and they were gone immediately. Next time I make them, I will use my own lemon curd recipe, otherwise these cookies are lovely and delicious.
jklmnop

May 30, 2012

I have made these many times--often just for me. Two tips--1) what ever shape the cookie is going into the oven, is the way they will come out. These do not spread. and 2) I have never gotten 30 cookies from this recipe. Maybe I make them too large, although I go for a mostly flattened, 1" cookie. Curd is easy but thoroughly mix the eggs and cook over low low heat to keep from getting scrambled egg white specks in the curd. The egg whites aren't bad, they just aren't pretty. Seems like more work than they really are and they look and taste great.