Lemon Bar Cookie Cups

Hey everybody! I love to try new things and I found an amazing new cookie recipe this week. So, of course I wanted to share it with you all. Someone had pinned the recipe on my Pinterest home page and I was immediately drawn in as soon as I saw it.  Reason being, lemon is one of my all time favorite flavors. I can't get enough. I was hooked just from the picture alone, I hadn't even read the recipe. Once I actually began to make these I realized I would love this recipe for another reason: they are very simple to make. Could not be easier; anyone can make these which is great. 
Ingredients
Original recipe can be found here
for the cookies:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lemon curd (store bought or homemade)
• powdered sugar for decorating, optional

*I included the lemon curd recipe because in my small town I cannot find store bought to save my life. I have searched far and wide and I always come home empty handed. So I must make my own but if you're able to find it go ahead an use that. Lemon curd can be a little tricky to make from scratch if you're a beginner or not a patient person. Slow and steady wins the race friends, you can't rush the process or it won't turn out right. However, I think this recipe is pretty much fool proof as long as you follow the directions exactly. The lemon curd turns out perfect. 

for the lemon curd:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

for the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Combine flours, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar in a small bowl and set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil, egg and extracts. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and stir until combined. 
4. Drop one tablespoon dough into each cup of a greased mini muffin pan. Bake for 8 minutes. 
5. Remove from oven and using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill with a teaspoon of lemon curd. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 4 minutes, or until cookies are firm and lightly browned on the sides. Remove to wire racks to cool. 
6. Sprinkle the edges to the cookies with powdered sugar. 

for the lemon curd:

1.  In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 minute. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks. 
2. In a medium, heavy-based sauce pan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts.) Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. (Once it is completely melted, it will thicken and reach 170 degrees quickly so watch it closely). It should leave a path on the back of a spoon and will read 170 degrees on a thermometer. Don't let the mixture boil. 
3. Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer the curd to a bowl. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools. Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for 2 months. 

White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

It's a winter wonderland at my house. We've gotten between 10-11 inches of snow. I've been snowed in the past couple of days so I decided to use my time to come up with this recipe. A lovely vanilla cupcake topped with white chocolate butter cream frosting and peppermint candy. The frosting on these is worth trying the recipe alone. It's that good! These are the perfect snow day treat. I hope you guys enjoy them!

Ingredients:

for the cupcakes- I used Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes from Glorious Treats

• 1 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar and let set for 5 minutes)

for the frosting- I used Two Ingredient White Chocolate Butter cream from Cookies and Cups

• 1 lb butter (4 sticks)
• 2 cups white chocolate chips

Garnish: Peppermint Baking chips

Directions:

for the cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a cupcake/muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine the first four ingredients, whisk together and set aside
• In a separate mixing bowl, add eggs and mix with electric mixer for 10-20 seconds.
• Add sugar and mix for 30 seconds. 
• Next add oil and vanilla, blend until all ingredients are completely mixed together.
• Add half of the flour mixture, mix well; then half of the milk, mix well. Repeat. 
• Pour batter into the lined cupcake pan, approximately 2/3 full. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
• Cool completely on wire racks, then frost with white chocolate butter cream.

for the frosting:

• In a medium sauce pan combine butter and white chocolate chips
• Melt together over low heat, stirring. The butter and white chocolate will separate.
• When everything is melted remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes or so. Place saucepan in fridge and refrigerate until the mixture becomes solid, approx 3 hours.
• When you're ready to prepare the frosting, remove from fridge and let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, to take the chill off.
• Place entire mass into bowl of stand mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes until frosting becomes light and fluffy.
• Pipe or frost cupcakes or cake.
• Sprinkle peppermint baking chips on top of frosted cupcakes

ENJOY!