Stephanies Kitchen

Flashback Friday – Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups

June 17, 2011 By Steph 4 Comments

I have had my blog for 3 1/2 years now, on and off. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I make a lot of my recipes again and again. And some I feel have been lost in the hundreds of recipes that I have created in that time. I decided that having a Flashback Friday would be really good idea just to dig out some of my favorite recipes that I have made in the past.

These are delicious! If you love lemon bars, you will love these individual, cute little relatives. I love all things individual, so these are perfect!

Hope you guys have a great weekend and a wonderful Father’s Day!

Happy Baking!

Mini Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups
recipe by Stephanie
makes 24 mini cookie cups

For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
8 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup whole milk

To Complete:
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting the tops

1. Using a food processor if possible (it will work best, but if you don’t have one, just use a mixer) process the flour and butter until they resemble course crumbs. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
2. Divide dough into 24 equal balls and place in greased mini muffin tins. Push down on the bottom and sculpt the dough up the sides to the rim of the cup. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
3. Make filling – Cream together the eggs and the sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well blended and smooth. Fill each cup with filling until it reaches the rim of the cup. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set.
Let cool slightly. Remove cups from muffin tins and let cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Filed Under: brunch, cookies, desserts, fruit, lemon

Orange Zested Cookies w/ Sweet Orange Glaze

May 3, 2011 By Steph 24 Comments

I live in Utah. I think it is written in the Utah Code that it must always snow on or a day before May 1st. Never fails. So one day it will be 72 degrees and the next the gardens are frozen and we have inches of snow on the ground. I don’t get it. Doesn’t seem right to me, but I choose to live here so I must live with it, right? I am most definitely looking forward to bright and sunny days ahead.

So as I sit there and watch the snow flakes fall, I crave spring, I crave summer. Nothing says spring or summer like citrus. Am I right? I made a version of these cookies using lemon zest and lemon juice. They were delightful. Perfect texture, perfect tangy lemon-ness. Didn’t get those photographed, but I was craving them again so I decided to switch them up a bit and use fresh oranges instead. I have to say, they were amazing. I think oranges seem to get a little neglected in the baking world. They are an amazing fruit, and they make amazing cookies. Give them a try and brighten up your day!

Orange Zested Cookies w/ Sweet Orange Glaze

makes about 2-3 dozen (depending on the size)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 egg

For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
fresh orange juice

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until zest is throughout the sugar. The sugar will become moist from the oils being released. Using a mixer, cream the butter and orange zested sugar. Add egg and orange juice. Slowly add the dry ingredients until well incorporated. At this point you can chill for an hour or so or overnight. I was impatient and baked them! Scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roll into smooth round balls. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until very lightly golden on the bottoms. Don’t overbake or they will be a bit to dry and lose the perfect texture.

Mix the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to get a glaze consistency and mix until smooth and creamy. Pour glaze over the tops of the cookies and let set.

Feel free to mix up the citruses. Use lemons or limes instead of oranges, or use some of each. Delicious!

Filed Under: cookies, desserts, fruit, lemon

Lemon Cream Cookies

January 13, 2011 By Steph 25 Comments

I was a little bit crazy and took on a big baking project for a church function last night. I decided to do a cookie bar. I totally could have called a couple of people and had some help but instead, because I am insane, I baked up 6 different kinds of cookies, 2 dozen each. These babies were definitely star of the show. They are almost embarrassingly (is that a word) simple and just a warning, they do contain a boxed cake mix. So if that is against your religion, feel free to turn this off now. ;) These cookies melt in your mouth. The fresh lemon juice and zest really make these pop. Love em’!

Lemon Cream Cookies
makes about 2 1/2 dozen

1 box lemon cake mix
1 large egg
zest and juice from 1 large lemon
1 8 ounce container cool whip
confectioners’ sugar

Mix the cake mix, egg and the lemon zest and juice until evenly distributed. The batter will be crumbly. Fold in the cool whip until well combined. It will be sticky. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Scoop the batter into desired size and roll in the confectioners’ sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Enjoy!

Steph
xoxoxo

Filed Under: cookies, desserts, lemon

7-Up Bundt Cake

May 20, 2009 By Steph 17 Comments

7-Up Bundt Cake

1 box lemon cake mix
1 box 3.4 ounce box instant lemon flavored pudding mix
1 1/2 cups 7-up
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until smooth. Pour into greased and floured 10 inch fluted cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Let cool and remove from pan and place on a wire rack. Drizzle with lemon icing. (confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice mixed until smooth)

Filed Under: cakes, desserts, lemon

Lemon Lime Baby Cakes with a Lemon Lime Drizzle

March 31, 2009 By Steph 26 Comments

Can you even believe that today is the last day of March? I am absolutely baffled. This year is flying by so fast. It seems like Christmas just barely came and went and now it’s almost Easter. Oh where oh where does the time go? I remember the good old days when I was just a little girl and the days and weeks seemed to go so slowly I thought I’d go crazy. I remember wishing to be older and now I am turning 30 this year and it totally blows my mind. Anyways, maybe I’m crazy but I feel like I should hold on to every second or it will get away from me again.
mini_cheesecake_pan

So now onto more important things..like dessert. Jenny at Picky Palate had me at hello with these little beauties and I just had to run out and get me this Mini Cheesecake Pan at Williams Sonoma. I couldn’t wait another second. I immediately tied the recipe for their basic mini cheesecakes they had on the back of the box and they were fantastic. And then I had to try a recipe of my own. I came up with these baby cakes. I don’t know why I call them that other than the fact that they are cute and they had to sound cute too. These moist mini pound cakes are filled with fresh lemon and lime juice and of course the zests too. The drizzle puts them over the top. I love the shape that the mini cheesecake pan gives them, although you can use a mini muffin tin too, or even a regular size muffin tin if you must. Your choice.

And now here is the recipe for the Baby Cakes! Have a great week friends!

Lemon Lime Baby Cakes with a Lemon Lime Drizzle
recipe by Steph
makes 18 mini pound cakes using the mini cheesecake pan
or 18 mini cakes using a mini muffin tin or 12 cakes using a regular muffin tin

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt

For the drizzle:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
lemon and lime juice

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add lemon and lime juice and zests, vanilla and almond extract and yogurt. Mix just until combined and creamy. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Grease the pan of your choice and fill the cups half way. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or baked through and when cooled, transfer to a wire rack. In a small bowl combine the confectioners’ sugar and enough lemon and lime juice to make a nice consistency for the drizzle. Drizzle over the baby cakes and enjoy!

Filed Under: cakes, desserts, lemon