LEMON CREAM CHEESE BARS RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Let dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Line large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add cream cheese, flour and 2 teaspoons of the lemon peel; stir with spoon or hands until well blended. (DO NOT EAT RAW COOKIE DOUGH AFTER COMBINING WITH FLOUR.) Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Frost cookies; sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel. Store in airtight container.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, beat together the butter and half the cream cheese until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the granulated sugar and 4 teaspoons lemon zest until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes more. Beat in the egg until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until combined.
• Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Portion the dough into 2-tablespoon scoops and arrange them on the sheets at least 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake, rotating halfway through baking, until the cookies are puffed and set and just beginning to turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks until cookies are completely cooled.
• Meanwhile, prepare the optional glaze: Whisk together the remaining cream cheese with the confectioners’ sugar, milk and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth. Add additional lemon juice or milk until mixture forms the proper consistency for a glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Let cookies stand at room temperature until the glaze has set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the freezer for a month.