Lemon Drop Cookies

Lemon Drop Cookies

½ cup margarine, softened
½ cup shortening, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups fl our
1½ cups powdered sugar, for coating

For best results, zest the lemon before juicing. You can use the small holes on a grater for a fi ne zest.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together margarine and shor tening until smooth.

Mix in sugar to combine, then incorporate lemon zest and juice. Add fl our in small batches until well incorporated.

Drop teaspoon-sized balls of dough onto a baking sheet, about 1 inch apar t. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and slightly browned. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets about halfway through the baking time. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet before coating each cookie in powdered sugar. To coat, use a fork to suppor t each cookie and roll them in powdered sugar on both sides. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.

Yield: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Want warm cookies anytime? This dough stores well in your fridge for up to a week. Just scoop out a couple at a time to have fresh cookies after dinner!

2 cups fl our
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together fl our, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream together sugar, brown sugar and margarine. Dissolve cornstarch in milk and add to sugar mixture along with vanilla. Add fl our mixture to sugar mixture in batches, then stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Using a cookie dropper or tablespoon, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apar t. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets about halfway through the baking time. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.

Yield: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 20 MINUTES