Lime Snow Cloud Cookies
A soft buttery cookie piqued with lime - simply delicious!
Favorite snow cone flavor - Lime. Favorite jolly rancher flavor - Lime. Favorite Jello flavor - Lime. Favorite citrus for guacamole - Lime. Lime is sublime and I can’t get enough of those small green citrus treasures that pack a punch of bright acid flavor. (Only the lime spelled with an “i” - not so fond of the one spelled with a “y”!)
My earliest dalliances with lime involved fresh limeades that were served at most soda fountains in my childhood and developed into something of an addiction that required a daily stop at a corner shop by the name of The Cottage, just opposite my junior high school. It was a long walk home - almost 2 miles, and so we often stopped to fortify ourselves for the uphill walk with a shot of lime.
These Snow Cloud cookies were a recipe shared from a friend years ago and though mostly butter and sugar (nothing wrong with that) elevated with citrus. But the secret to the soft tender texture must be due to the use of cornstarch and not just flour in the dough. Originally, lemon was the citrus prescribed but as you must be aware by now, I chose lime - for reasons made obvious above. Choose what you will for the sparkle of citrus but just be sure to try these! They are a delightful super simple cookie, perfect for teas, parties or a friendly nibble to share.
Lime snow cloud Cookies
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon lime juice
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime rind
-In medium mixing bowl of electric mixer, cream butter with powdered sugar until very smooth. Add cornstarch, flour and lime juice. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Chill dough for 1 hour.
-Remove from fridge and roll dough into small balls about 1 inch in diameter, the size of a walnut. Place on baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silpad, or sprayed with baking spray. Flatten balls slightly with the bottom of a glass, dipped in flour. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
-Combine frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cooled cookies with a swirl of the frosting. Then garnish with finely grated lime rind.
Place dough balls on cookies sheet and flatten slightly.
Simple and beautiful with the garnish of lime rind!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**These cookies should be baked only until cooked through. They puff slightly and form a smooth top. They should not be cooked until browned or even golden. You might see the slightest trace of gold around the bottom edges - but that is it. The baked cookies should still be white.
**I use a microplane to grate the lime rind right over the frosted cookies for a very fine shred. Do so right after you swirl on the frosting so that the rind sticks to the cookies.
