Austinite Janie Sevier offers this Easter goody recipe this month that she says came from her grandmother, whose husband was an early-day Austin grocer.
Serves: 36.
Ingredients
· 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
· ½ teaspoon salt
· ½ teaspoon baking soda
· ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
· ½ cup vegetable oil
· 1 cup Extra Fine Imperial Sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· 1 egg
· 1 tablespoon lemon zest
· 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Chocolate Butter Icing
· 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
· 3 ½ cups Imperial confectioners sugar
· ½ cup cocoa powder
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix butter, vegetable oil and sugar until light and fluffy and pale yellow. Add vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. A flour mix a little at a time.
Drop spoon-sized dough balls onto prepared cookie sheets. Slightly flatten each one. Bake for 10 minutes, or just until cookies begin to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool while making the frosting.
Beat the butter (medium mixer speed) until fluffy. In a medium bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add sugar mixture to butter, a little at a time. Once blended, add salt, vanilla extract and heavy cream, and beat for about three minutes or until stiff peaks can form. For stiffer consistency, add more sugar. For thinner, add additional cream one tablespoon at a time.
Using a spatula, smooth about one tablespoon of chocolate icing onto each lemon cookie. Garnish with sugar sprinkles.