Italian Lemon Iced Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar 
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 
• 3 eggs 
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine 
• 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Method

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl beat sugar, vanilla, lemon peel and 6 tablespoons of butter with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat for 1 minute. Stir in flour and baking powder (it will be a soft sticky dough). Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 3.8 inch round tip. 
Pipe 2 inch diameter rings onto the prepared cookie sheet. With moistened fingertips, press ends of each ring together to from a smooth ring. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

To Make Frosting 
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. 
Add sugar, water, lemon juice and vanilla and whisk until sugar melts and mixture is heated through. Thin with more water if frosting is too thick to brush. Remove cookies from oven and immediately brush warm frosting over hot cookies. Cool frosted cookies on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely. 

Yield: 2 dozen 

Submitted by: Anna Z.