Recipe Detail Page

1. In a bowl, blend flour with baking powder and salt. Scatter in lemon peel, then stir in. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat butter with sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Then beat in limoncello and vanilla. Scrape down sides often. With beater on low, gradually beat in flour mixture. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

2. To bake, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

3. Using floured hands, roll rounded teaspoons of dough into rounds. (If dough is too hard, leave on the counter until it can be easily scooped and rolled.) Place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Use a floured hand or bottom of a glass to gently flatten cookies to ⅓-inch (8-mm) thickness. Bake in centre of oven until cookie bottoms are golden, about 10 minutes. Then remove to a rack to cool. Glaze cookies while still warm or at room temperature.

4. For glaze, melt butter in a large frying pan over low heat. Tilt to coat pan. Add icing sugar, then remaining ingredients. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until sugar is melted and even in colour, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

5. Place a rack of cookies over a piece of waxed paper to catch drips. Spoon about a half tablespoon of glaze over each cookie. If glaze is thicker than you like, stir in more limoncello or water, a spoonful at a time. Glaze will need frequent stirrings otherwise a “skin” will form on the surface. It also thickens as it cools, so return to burner on low and stir until runny.

6. Once glaze is firm, store cookies in airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in freezer for up to 2 months. Just before serving, add a fresh touch: a sprinkling of grated lemon peel.