Lemon Drop Cookies

Old-fashioned lemon drop candies were the inspiration for these sunny little treats.

Ingredients:

1	lemon
1 1/4	cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4	tsp (1 mL) baking powder
1/4	tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2	cup (125 mL) butter (1 stick), softened
1/4	cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
1	egg yolk
1/4	cup (50 mL) yellow decorating sugar
1/4	cup (50 mL) prepared lemon curd
	Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line Cookie Sheet with Parchment Paper; set aside. Zest entire lemon using Microplane® Adjustable Grater. Juice lemon to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL). In Small Batter Bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. In Stainless (2-qt./2-L) Mixing Bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium speed of electric hand mixer until creamy. Add egg yolk, lemon zest and juice; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture; mix on low speed just until mixture forms into a dough.
2. For each cookie, roll 1 tsp (5 mL) of dough into a ball. Roll each ball in decorating sugar. Place balls 2 in. (1 cm) apart on Cookie Sheet. Make a small indentation in the center of each ball using your little finger. Place lemon curd into Decorator Bottle fitted with round tip; fill indentations with lemon curd.
3. Bake cookies 11-13 minutes or until bottoms of cookies just begin to brown. Slide parchment and cookies onto Stackable Cooling Rack; cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Lightly sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar using Flour/Sugar Shaker, if desired.

Yield: 4 dozen

Nutrients per serving: (2 cookies): Calories 100, Total Fat 4.5 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 0 g

Cook's Tips: Use the Decorator Bottle filled with lemon curd to finish off these little cookies before baking.

If you don't have yellow decorating sugar, add 7-8 drops of yellow food coloring to 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar. Whisk until sugar is evenly tinted.