Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 (18.25 oz.) package lemon cake mix
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 box instant lemon pudding
• juice of one lemon* (less if you like them sweeter)
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

*For a more intense lemon add some of grated lemon peel

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (190 degrees C). Add cake mix, pudding and lemon peel if using, into a large bowl, whisk to combine . Stir eggs, oil, and lemon until well blended. Add to cake mixture and stir to combine. Let stand 5-10 min to thicken.

Roll teaspoonful of dough into balls and drop into a bowl of confectioners' sugar (I use a Melon baller, it is less messy). Roll them around until they're lightly covered. If toddlers are the primary eaters, skip the confectioners sugar (think sticky fingers and walls).

Once sugared, put them on a parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart (when I pick them up with my fingers they flatten a bit, put a flat side down and they won't roll as you move the pan). The parchment keeps them from sticking. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. If baking more than one pan rotate and turn after 5 min. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy. For a crisper cookie bake a couple of more min. Dark pans take the less time, shinny pans take the longer time. Let sit on pan for a few min. and transfer cookies to racks to cool. If using the same pan for another batch and it is warm it will take less time in the oven.

Variations:

1. For a less intense lemon flavored cookie use yellow cake mix.
2. Sprinkle with lemon sugar after they come out of the oven or the last minute or two in the oven. Press a lemon drop into each cookie before cooking.
3. If you have a soft cookie it heats well in the microwave, served with ice cream
4. Change lemon for chocolate - cake, pudding, and add mini chocolate chips instead of lemon juice and rind.

By Scott E. from Chicago

Answers:

Lemon Cookies

You can make Orange cookies like this, too, using orange juice to a yellow or white cake mix and some grated orange rind.

Frosting: can make an orange flavored simple frosting either homemade or to a tub of prepared frosting: add some yellow and red food coloring to make the exact shade of orange and along with some grated orange rind and a very small amount of orange extract or orange juice. (08/14/2008)

By badwater