LEMON HONEY COOKIES

For my Christmas goodie gift basket, I wanted to make some cookies that were not going to be the usual ones you find everywhere. So, I settled upon making non-traditional cookies that still had a festive taste, but which were radically different from the ones we are all used to see, bake or buy during this period of the year...

After a long research, I stumbled upon this 1964 South African King David Schools "Lemon Honey Cookies" recipe which I found on Chanit's wonderful blog "My Mom's Recipes And More" from Israel (I really recommend you to visit her blog as you'll not be deceived by what you'll find). I must say that whenever I visit her site, I always find many great baking recipes that I print and keep like treasures in my immense cookery files!

Those "Lemon Honey Cookies" are pleasantly smooth, light and ever so slightly crunchy/snappy on the outside, a bit like little hybrid cakes. The honey gives them a warm, aromatic and hearty and deliciously rich taste dimension/deepness. As I love lemon flavored food, those cookies are perfect and to my taste; a real sensation!...

Makes about 45 cookies.

Ingredients:
125g Unsalted butter
1/2 Cup Castor sugar
1 Egg (~50g)
1/3 Cup Light runny honey
2 Cups Plain white flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking powder
The rind of 1 lemon

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).
2. Cream the butter and sugar together.
3. Add the egg, runny honey and lemon rind.
4. Sift all dry ingredients.
5. Add to the butter mixture and blend well.
6. Drop by teaspoonful on to a baking tray (cookie sheet) lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes.
8. Cool on a wire rack.

Remarks:
Instead of using lemon rind, you can replace it by orange rind.
Don't forget to use untreated lemons or oranges. Otherwise, wash/brush their skins thoroughly under water.

Serving suggestions:
Those cookies are ideal as gifts (Christmas, birthdays, etc...) and delicious at any time of the day to accompany your coffee or tea...

(Lemon Zest -Pic by http://imagesource.art.com)
(Honey -Pic by www.bbc.co.uk)