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Recipe Thu Dec 16 2010
A Lighter Cookie Option
'Tis the season of Christmas cookies -- at home, in the office, at parties. It's hard to resist them, but sometimes we all just crave something just a little less waist-expanding.
For the Healthy Schools Campaign's 2010 Cooking Up Change gala, culinary students at Simeon Career Academy created a cookie that we won't feel guilty about popping in our already-full bellies this holiday season. The event, a cook-off, challenges students to create a healthy lunch or a healthy cookie using using the same nutrition requirements, ingredients, and budget constraints that schools have to contend with. Below is the recipe for Simeon Career Academy's winning dessert, Thyme-Scented Lemon Cookies:
Thyme-Scented Lemon CookiesYield: about 50 small cookies
Cookie:
4 oz butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
Zest of 2 lemons - minced
2 teaspoons lemon oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 whole eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
5 teaspoons dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh (optional)Glaze:
Juice of 2 lemons
2 cups powdered sugarDirections:
1. Combine the flours, salt, baking powder and thyme in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about two minutes on medium speed. Scrape down bowl.
3. On low speed, add eggs two at a time, until well combined. Scrape down bowl.
4. Add the lemon zest, lemon oil, and vanilla until just combined. Scrape down bowl.
5. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients.
6. Mix until moistened and just combined. Do not overmix!
7. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls on sheet pans lined with parchment.
8. Bake at 350ยบ F for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned and tops are set.
9. Let the cookies rest for another 10 minutes before moving them off of the parchment (preferably to a cooling rack).
10. Meanwhile, for the icing, juice the lemons and strain out the seeds. Add enough powdered sugar to desired consistency (probably less than 2 cups). Ice the cookies and allow icing to set before storing in an airtight container.