Friendship, Cookies & Healing

These Friendship Cookies are inspired by my newest magical realism novel Sweet Canary Jane. As with many items and foods found in the enchanted Southern town of Mystic Water, these cookies offer something extra.

Not only are they delicious, with a zing of citrus and sugary crumbly texture, they also offer healing, relief, and restoration for heartache and broken relationships. A half dozen of these will encourage strength, success, and love in friendship.

Go on, buy a dozen and share them with the ones you love.

Friendship Cookies

Yield: 5 Dozen

Flavored with orange, lemon and lime, you'll get chewy, sweet cookies with a punch of zest and rolled in sugar.

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 egg

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 orange, zested

1 lemon, zested

1 lime, zested

1 tsp juice of each citrus fruit

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, zest all the citrus. Remove about 2 tsp of zest and place in a separate bowl. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar to the 2 tsp of zest. Combine with a fork and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, add butter and remaining 1 cup sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes. Add egg and beat until combined. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Beat until combined. Slowly add in zest.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll cookies into 3/4-1inch balls. Then roll them in the sugar/zest mixture, coating generously. Place ball on cookie sheet and repeat. Using a flat bottom of a cup, press the ball slightly to form a disc. Repeat for all balls. I then pressed a little extra sugar on the tops of the cookies at this point (totally optional). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.

4. Store in a covered container for up to a week. ENJOY.