Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Who Doesn't Love Betty Crocker's Cooky Book Recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies?

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Some flavor combinations never go out of style, like chocolate and peanut butter, cranberries and orange, and lemon and poppy seed. I grew up eating (and loving) my mom's lemon poppy seed muffins -- big, moist, hill-topped treats that were covered in sweet, tart lemon icing.

Walk into just about any bakery or coffee shop today, and chances are good that you'll find some kind of lemon-poppy seed baked good: muffin, scone, cake, or cookie. Maybe it's because they have old-fashioned charm, or maybe it's because they're appealing to just about everybody. Really. Have you ever heard of someone turning down a slice of lemon poppy seed cake?

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You'll have a hard time turning down today's recipe for Lemon Poppy Drop Cookies with Poppy Seed Glaze. The recipe is slightly adapted from an original in the iconic 1963 Betty Crocker Cooky Book. I remember my mom making many recipes from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book, but I don't remember if lemon poppy drops were one of them. No doubt, after reading this post, she'll be making a batch. You might too. After all, have you ever heard of someone turning down a glazed lemon poppy seed cookie?

Lemon Poppy Drop Cookies with Poppy Seed Glaze
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Print recipe only here.
This recipe is slightly adapted from the original.

Cookies:
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
zest 1/2 lemon

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
juice of 1 lemon (about 2-3 teaspoons)
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. For the cookies: In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter, and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Drop dough in heaping tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing.

4. For the glaze: Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. The glaze should cling to the back of a spoon. For easy clean up, place a sheet of parchment paper underneath the cookie rack before glazing cookies. Drizzle glaze over cookies. Allow to cool completely until the glaze hardens. Cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week.

You might also enjoy these recipes featuring citrus:
Orange Delight Cookies
Orange, Date, and Pecan Bread
Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Lemon
Italian Easter Rice Pie

Here are more light and lemony cookie recipes you might enjoy:

Lemonade Cookies at Food Blogga
Crispy Lemon Cookies at Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks
Lemon Thyme Cornmeal Cookies at The Perfect Pantry
Lemon and Fleur de Sel Cookies at Chocolate and Zucchini
Buttermilk Cookies with Lemon Zest at Orangette