IT'S PEOPLE!!! (aka Soylent Green Cookies, aka Glazed Lemon Cookies)

Once upon a time, we were eating delicious, store-bought, iced lemon cookies for dessert when my twin and I were teenagers.  For some reason, we got on the topic of the movie "Soylent Green".  None of us kids had ever seen it before, and my dad was telling us the basic plot.  It seems that some nefarious corporation was making delicious food out of, well, people, and then selling it to the unknowing public.  Or something like that.  I still have never seen the movie, but I love how it has become engrained in pop culture.  Apparently, the main character uncovers the secret and at some point screams "IT'S PEOPLE!" to anyone who will listen.  Since that fateful evening, my sister has refused to eat those delectable cookies (and, I believe, most any lemon-flavored confection).  She calls them "Soylent Green cookies" and imagines that they must be made out of human flesh or something like that.  I have no such biases and adore anything lemon-flavored.

I have a bunch of lemons on hand (thanks to my effort to display fresh fruit in a bowl like they do on "Sell This House", and now I have a bunch of elderly, sad-looking lemons in need of use or disposal) and decided to try to find a cookie recipe to use them.  The result was DELICIOUS and remarkably similar in flavor and texture to the store-bought version.  I think the glaze has a little more kick though, which is awesome.  Everyone BUT ERIN should try making these cookies, because they are amazing.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (takes about 3 small lemons)
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
4-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (takes one or two small lemons)

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.  Whisk and set aside.

3.  In a small bowl, add granulated sugar and lemon zest.  Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers, until fragrant.  This sounds silly to do, but it was actually kind of fun.

4.  Beat butter and sugar/lemon mixture together until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

5.  Slowly beat in flour mixture on low speed until blended.  Drop dough by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.  Gently flatten dough with the palm of your hand.

6.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are just set and slightly golden brown.  Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to cooking racks.  Cool completely.

7.  In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice.  Dip each cookie top into the lemon glaze.  Let cookies sit until icing has set.