Not sure about these

Round 2

Renee 0.5 - Cookies 1.5

I have to say, when I saw the recipe for "Lemon Drops" from my Cookie Companion

(again with the King Arthur Flour cookbook?), I pictured large, crinkle-topped, sugar coated sugar cookies with a tangy lemon flavor, maybe some yellow sprinkles.

...and these just weren't them.  

Don't get me wrong, they taste really good (slightly addictive if I may add), but they're not what I was looking for.  They're almost like a Madeleine.  Very cakey, very light, very soft, with a slight crispy/chewy edge.

Recipe:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 to 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, and zest, then stir this into the butter mixture.  Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt, beating to make a smooth soft dough.
   
3. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets.  Bake the cookies for 18 minutes until they're a very light gold around the edges.  Remove them from the over and transfer to a rack to cool.

There is also a recipe for a lemon/sugar topping that you're supposed to add "just before serving." I think it would definitely add something to the cookies, but that's not going to work for me since all cookies will be frozen and put out my the good people at the UMUC Marriott, but if you're interested:

Topping Recipe:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Yellow food coloring

Topping Directions:

In a small food processor or blender, process together the sugar, lemon, and few drops of food coloring.  Add additional food coloring until the sugar is the tint you want.  Sift the sugar over the cooked cookies just before serving.

I also only had to bake them about 10 minutes, so I would watch them carefully. Overall, I give them a 2.5 out of 5.  I'm a cookie snob and wanted something a little more...is "pretty" the right word?

I've got some ideas though, and I'll be back with a chewy, lemony, sugary cookie soon.