Citrus Cloud Cookies

Bold, with a soft side; if you could date a cookie, it would be this one.

These cookies are exceptional. Confirmed chocoholics may question their allegiance after tasting one.

She’s an unassuming cookie to look at, but packs layers of flavor from vanilla to low lemony subtlety to a zingy-near-puckery lemon frosting. Soft and cake-like they are comforting and thrilling all at the same time.

Notes on ingredients: Extracts v Oils

Extracts tend to be milder in flavor and typically less expensive.

Oils tend to have stronger flavors. A little bit goes a long way.

I try to buy Boyajian oils because they are supremely good quality.

I use Penzey’s extracts because I trust their quality. But I also use McCormick’s because I have a grocery at the end of my street, and they are less expensive and yet still taste good.

If I had to be bossy, I would say, use extract in the cookie and oil in the icing. You know, it’s your cookie now, though, so you do what you like.

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Citrus Cloud Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

What You’ll Need for the Cookies

• 1 cup , plus 1 tbsp (4.30 ounces) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp almond flour (3.9 ounces)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp sugar (6.95 ounces)

• 1 tablespoon orange zest (zest from 2 medium oranges, adjust to your taste—and oranges)

• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract or 1/4 teaspoon orange oil

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp sour cream

For the icing

• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) confectioners’ sugar

• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons lemon extract or 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon oil (or to taste, obviously!)

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

What You’ll Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line your baking sheets with parchment.

2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter, sugar, orange zest, orange oil and vanilla until light and fluffy, about one minute. Scrape the bowl. Add the egg and mix on medium until blended, about 10 seconds. Scrape down that bowl. Add the sour cream and mix on medium-low until just blended.

4. Add the flour mixture on low speed until just incorporated. Raise speed to medium and beat for 5 seconds until smooth. Don’t over mix.

5. Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake until the cookies have puffed and just are turning golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack, then frost all swirly with icing (method follows).

Make the icing:

Melt the butter in a medium-size bowl, add the confectioners’ sugar and the lemon oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk vigorously until smooth  and creamy. Taste and adjust lemon flavoring accordingly.

These keep nicely in an air-tight container.

Help me try to understand the thinking behind Trump’s NFTs. What was your initial thought? Do you think anyone actually bought them, or is the “we all sold out” claim fake. I am giggling to myself as I type. Of course it was fake. I still marvel at him calling his phone call to Brad Raffensberger the “most perfect” phone call. Still! Like, he said it this week.

Deep breaths. Cookies. Yes. Cookies. I love cookies. Cookies, especially these above are nice. I like nice things. Do you? Hoo-boy. I need to rest.