Lemon Zester cookies, 5 WW points each

At around 9:30, we decided we needed a sugar fix. Mark loves the Paradise Bakery lemon zester cookies. I have a copycat recipe for their sugar cookies (which turns out JUST like the ones from PB, btw!), so we decided to make those and try to turn them into lemon zesters. We simply replaced the vanilla extract with lemon extract. They tasted lemony and yummy! (they weren't yellow though - we opted to not add food coloring to make them look lemony - we cared only about taste)

We paused our movie, and with two people on the job we whipped up the dough in no time!

The recipe: (I am guessing, if you don't eat any dough, this makes about 3 dozen good size cookies, which makes them 5 points each, not including the sugar you sprinkle on top).
Paradise Bakery Sugar Cookies
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 2 cup shortening
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
* 4 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, cake
* 3/4 tsp baking powder
* 3/4 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp table salt
Beat sugars and shortening on low for 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl, beat on medium speed 2 minutes. While mixing, add vanilla and egg.
Meanwhile, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in seperate bowl.
Add gradually to sugar mixutre. Beat just until mixed.
Place cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of a glass (Can roll the dough and cut with cookie cutters as well).
Bake 8-11 minutes at 350 degrees. Cookies are done when fine cracks appear; cookies should not brown. Sprinkle generously with sugar immediately after removing from oven. Cool on wire rack.

The dough:



The cookies:



Tip for those lacking self control (don't be insulted, I include myself in this category!): when you get a hankering for something sweet, and then find yourself eating the leftovers the next day simply because they're there, FREEZE! I like to make all my dough into ready to bake dough balls, freeze, drop in a ziploc bag to keep "freezer fresh", and then the next time you get a sweet tooth you can pull a couple dough-balls out of the freezer, pop in the oven, and you have freshly baked cookies for little effort and zero mess! (Even better, when mother in law or June Cleaver stop over unexpectedly, you can impress them with freshly baked you cookies you just happened to have on hand - assuming, of course, your husband and daughter don't eat all the dough balls out of the freezer...)