Citrus Slice Cookies

  • Prep 1 hr 25 min
  • Total 6 hr 25 min
  • Servings 48

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • Dash salt
  • Grated peel from 1 orange (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • Yellow and red liquid food color
  • Grated peel from 2 lemons (2 to 3 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Orange and yellow sanding sugar

Steps

  • 1
    In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs with electric stand mixer on medium-low speed or with electric hand mixer on lowest speed until well combined. Add flour and salt; beat until soft, nonsticky dough forms. (You should be able to handle the dough without it sticking to your fingers. If dough is sticky, beat in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes to the correct consistency.)
  • 2
    On work surface, shape dough into a ball. Divide into 3 equal portions. Return one-third of dough to bowl; beat in orange peel, orange extract and drops of yellow and red food color until orange color is consistent. Remove dough from bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
  • 3
    Clean bowl; add another one-third portion of dough. Beat in lemon peel, lemon extract and drops of yellow food color until yellow color is consistent. Remove dough from bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
  • 4
    Leave remaining one-third of dough plain; cover with plastic wrap.
  • 5
    Refrigerate all dough portions 1 hour.
  • 6
    Shape each portion of tinted dough into a roll about 5 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter; set aside. On lightly floured work surface, roll plain dough into a rectangle. Place roll of orange dough on plain dough. Roll plain dough in a single layer around orange dough. Cut away excess dough; reserve for yellow dough.
  • 7
    Place orange sanding sugar on plate; roll dough log in sugar until completely coated. Wrap sugar-coated dough log in plastic wrap; refrigerate. Repeat process with lemon dough, remaining plain dough and yellow sanding sugar. Refrigerate dough logs at least 4 hours.
  • 8
    Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
  • 9
    Cut chilled logs into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds. With back edge of knife, score “segment” lines into each round, making only indentations (do not go all the way through). Cut rounds in half; place on cookie sheets.
  • 10
    Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.

  • Use a fine grater or handheld plane grater to remove the peel from the orange and lemons. Be sure to avoid the white pith, as it will impart an unpleasant, bitter taste.
  • Sanding sugar can be found at some grocery stores and in the baking section of most craft stores.
  • Other citrus peels such as lime and grapefruit can also be used in this recipe. If using lime peel, use green liquid food color; if using grapefruit peel, use yellow food color or yellow and red food color to make pink dough.

Nutrition Facts are not available for this recipe
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