Honey Lemon Icebox Cookies

What's your favorite type of cookie?  I'm talking about texture.  Do you like thick and cakey?  Soft and chewy?  Thin and crispy?  Everyone has a preference and every cookie has it's place.  For me, it really depends on the cookie.

Since I have one kid that doesn't like chocolate (I know, pure insanity!), I usually make 2 types of cookies at once - one with chocolate and one without.  Sometimes I will use one dough and add chocolate in some way to half of it to please all the masses in my house.   I usually nibble (binge!) on the chocolate variety first and then start eating the non-chocolate cookies when there is nothing else in the cookie jar.

Not this time, my friend!  On Sunday, I made a Braided Pesto Loaf and some Chocolate Chip Malted Cookies but I also decided to make these Lemon Honey Icebox Cookies for the non-chocolate lover in my house.

I don't have any idea where I got the recipe.  It was written in my hand writing on the back of another recipe that was printed out and stuck into one of my recipe binders.  I few ingredients were crossed out and changed a bit here and there.  There were slashes and notes and scribble so I know I have baked these before!

How could I forget them?  These perfect, mildly sweet, lemony, cakey bits of awesomeness???

This recipe is now going into the section of my cookie binder with the rest of the 'often used' recipes!  Really!  Give them a shot!  I have been nibbling on these instead of the chocolate chip cookies and that, my friend, is HUGE! Passing up chocolate for a 'plain' cookie?  Oh, yes!  These are that yummy!

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups shortening
• 2cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsps. baking soda
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add one egg at a time, mixing between each addition.  Beat in the honey and the lemon extract.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and mix together with a whisk.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well.
3. Dump the dough onto the countertop and divide into two sections.  Shape each section into a log about 12 inches long.  Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Unwrap the first log and slice into ¼ inch thick slices.  Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about ½ inch apart. (This is my FAVORITE cookie sheet!  I can make a ton of cookies in each batch and they bake up perfectly!)  Keep the second log in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
5. Bake at 325° for 11 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges.  Do not over bake.  Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes and then remove to a wire cooling rack  until completely cool. (If your kitchen is anything like mine, these stacking cooling racks will come in handy and save you some space!)
6. Try not to eat TOO many of these cakey, perfectly sweet delicious cookies!