Recipe: Lemon slice-and-bake cookies

Jeanne Cluts has worked in the Don Ayres office for more than 10 years, and she also happens to be a pretty phenomenal cook! Every so often, Jeanne passes along one of her amazing recipes. Here, she shares a great recipe for a refreshing sweet treat on a hot summer day!

Ingredients (cookies):
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 c. sugar
2 T. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large egg yolks

Ingredients (icing):
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. fresh lemon juice
food coloring (optional)
sprinkles or sanding sugar (optional)

To prepare:
Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla using an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Add egg yolks and beat until yolks are just blended into the dough mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add flour mixture. Divide dough into two balls. Roll each ball into a 10-inch log about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm (about an hour). Tip: Dough can be made two days ahead of time. Keep chilled. To help the dough keep its shape, you can refrigerate or freeze it inside empty paper towel tubes.

Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven, and preheat to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap one dough log. Using a sharp, lightly-floured knife, cut the dough into quarter-inch rounds. Place cookies about one inch apart on baking sheets.

Bake 16 to 18 min., or until cookies are firm and golden brown around the edges. Cool for one minute and then transfer cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough log, using cooled baking sheets and new parchment paper.

For icing, whisk sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. (If consistency is too thick, you can add additional lemon juice 1/2 tsp. at a time.) Add food coloring. Spread or drizzle icing over cookies and decorate as desired. Let stand about 10 minutes or until icing sets.  Tip: Icing can be made up to three days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.