raspberry lemonade cookies

These cookies are a hybrid of the lemon cookies my Mom makes. I decided to switch-up the regular lemon flavored cookie by creating a raspberry one instead. I think you could transform them into any fruity combo though (orange-orange, lemon-orange, orange creamsicle, pineapple-pineapple, etc.) However one thing to note with this particular recipe is that it isn't the cookie that has the most flavor it is the icing so plan your flavors out accordingly...Also you might want to note they have a weird texture- they aren't chewy or flaky they are more like dry and fluffy (similar to a Mexican Wedding Cookie.)  They are the kind of cookie you would eat a tea party or bridal shower (when I told Nic this he said "Do you go to a lot of tea parties?") What I'm trying to say is they are just kind of dainty cookies I guess. And don't except them to be incredibly sweet either, they're dainty tart cookies. 


Raspberry Lemonade Cookies
2 cups butter, room temperature
2/3 cups powdered sugar
@ 1 cup fresh raspberries*
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon raspberry extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cornstarch 


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy looking. Add powdered sugar; mix until light and fluffy. Add raspberries, vanilla and raspberry extract; beat well. Add flour and cornstarch into butter mixture and mix until well combined. The dough may look dry- but don't worry, it will slowly come together as you mix it. 

uncooked dough is super soft- looks like pliable whipped yogurt

Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from oven, carefully remove from  baking sheet, and cool on wire racks (cookies are very delicate when warm.)

lightly browned bottoms

Lemon Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar; beat until well mixed. Add additional lemon juice if frosting needs to be thinned out. I did it too thick it's better if it is almost glaze like.
Thin enough you can just dip tops of cookies in to frost rather than spread onto cookies.

My Notes:
*I used fresh raspberries. But as you probably know fresh raspberries also have seeds. My Mom suggested I use juice instead so that there aren't seeds in the cookies. So really that is up to you.