HOMEMADE LEMON FILLED COOKIES

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them into smooth balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
• Use the back of a teaspoon to make a small indentation in the center of each cookie ball. Fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just turning golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• If desired, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to create the icing. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.
• Allow the icing to set before serving. Enjoy your soft lemon-filled cookies with a cup of tea or as a delightful treat any time of the day!

Lemon Curd Instructions:

• Prepare the Lemons: Zest the lemons until you have 1 tablespoon of zest. Then, juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of lemon juice. It’s best to strain the juice to remove any seeds or pulp.
• Mix the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is fragrant and moist. This helps release the oils from the zest and infuses the sugar with lemon flavor.
• Cream the Butter: Add the room temperature butter to the sugar-zest mixture and cream them together until the mixture is smooth, light, and creamy. You can use an electric mixer or a whisk.
• Add Eggs and Lemon Juice: Beat the eggs into the creamed sugar one at a time, and then stir in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled at this point, but it will smooth out as it cooks.
• Cook the Mixture: Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens (about 10 minutes). The lemon curd will thicken at about 170°F (77°C), or just below simmer. Remove from the heat when the curd coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain: Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl or container to remove the zest and any bits of egg that may have accidentally cooked.
• Cool and Store: Cover the curd with a piece of plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to avoid forming a skin on top. Let the curd cool to room temperature before refrigerating. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Refrigerate: Once cooled, transfer the lemon curd to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.