When I was a kid, my family would always dye eggs for Easter. My mom would hard boil them, so we would snack on them during the week that followed the holiday. I’d eat so many that I can’t look at a hard-boiled egg today without thinking about Easter. I consider these cookies an homage to the Easters of my childhood, but in looks only. They are actually just that you can make any time of year. They would be equally as cute in a flower shape for spring or Mother’s Day or keep it simple with circle cutters. If you really like lemon, add a bit of lemon extract to the filling as well to pump up the flavor.

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Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients

Lemon Sandwich Cookies:

• 16 tablespoons (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (149 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Lemon Cream Filling:

• 6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups (192 grams) confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Yellow food coloring

Instructions

Make the Cookies:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the egg and lemon extract and beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

3. Add the flour and salt and mix on low until absorbed. Divide the dough into 2 discs, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.

5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough thin to about 3/16 of an inch. Cut with an egg-shaped cookie cutter and place on the prepared sheet pans. Cut a small circle out of half of the eggs to be the tops. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden and set. Remove and cool completely on wire racks.

Make the Filling and Assemble: 

6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer and bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and salt until smooth. Add as much lemon food coloring as you would like to simulate the yolks.

7. Spread the filling in a thin layer of filling on the bottoms of the cookies.

8. Generously dust the top layer of cookies with confectioners’ sugar and then gently place them on the bottom portions. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving. Balance can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, but allow to come to room temperature to serve.