Lemon Chewies (my favorite cookie)

I love cookies.  I make them all the time.  They are my go-to dessert.  If I have to send a snack to school with the kids, cookies.  If I am going to a pot luck, cookies.  If I need a hostess gift, cookies.  They are easy to make and everyone loves them.

Over the years I've made a million different kinds of cookies.  Peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate cashew, cranberry breakfast cookies and of course, chocolate chip.  But my favorite cookie of all time is the lemon chewy.  It is soft, sweet, creamy, slightly tangy from the cream cheese and covered in a lemony glaze.  Oh my.  I could eat these every day!

LEMON CHEWIES

1 stick butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream cheese, softened
Juice from half a lemon
Remaining zest from lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Zest the entire lemon.  Measure 1/2 tsp to add to cookie batter.  Keep remaining zest to add to glaze.

With a mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and sugar until creamy and fluffy.

Beat in vanilla and 1/2 tsp of the lemon zest.  Gradually add in flour, blending thoroughly.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart (they will spread a little).

Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes or until slightly golden.

Transfer to wire racks (sit the racks on top of a cookie sheet to catch drips from the glaze).

While the cookies cool, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar, cream cheese, juice from half the lemon and the leftover zest.  Whisk until smooth.  If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.  If too thick, add a little more juice.

Drizzle the glaze over cooled cookies and let sit to harden.

This recipe yields about 33 cookies.  If you need more, it's super easy to double.  I cannot stress how much I love these cookies!  They are so good!  If you like lemon, you will love these lemon chewies.  Give 'em a try.