Citrus Shortbread Cookies

With the exception of my dad (more on that in another post), I like to change things up every once in a while when picking out recipes. Which means that because the last two cookies I made my mom had coconut in them, her Christmas present was going to be something different. I decided on citrus because I know she likes those flavors. In an effort to use more than just what I've pinned, I took to my recipe magazines and cookbooks before coming across Citrus Shortbread Cookies in the Betty Crocker Best Desserts 2011 magazine.

Citrus Shortbread Cookies (Betty Crocker Best Desserts 2011, on shelves until 9/2011, pg. 96)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated lime peel (I used lemon extract instead)
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel (Again, used orange extract)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp. lime juice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350℉. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes or until light and creamy. On low speed, beat in flour, lime peel and orange peel until blended. Gather dough into a ball.
2. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 8x6-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. (If dough cracks round edges, press edges to smooth.) Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares, then cut each square diagonally in half into triangles. On ungreased cookie sheet, place triangles 1/2 inch apart.
3. Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lime juice with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Here's the thing: Mom was so obsessed with the cookies I made her last year that she specifically asked for them when giving me and my brothers gift ideas this year. Still, like I said, I wanted to do something different. And Mom claimed she liked these. I say "claimed" because she winced a little when biting into them but said she liked them. I think she was disappointed they weren't the cookies she wanted. From now on, I'm foregoing variety for her too.