Lemon Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all vegetable shortening , at room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 large lemon )
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup salted butter
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 2 1/2 – 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• yellow food coloring or yellow sprinkles

Directions

1. Start with the dry mix: add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a bowl, whisk for 30 seconds, and set it aside. In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter, shortening, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until the mixture looks very pale and airy, about 4 minutes, stopping now and then to scrape down the bowl. Beat in the egg until incorporated, then add the egg white, lemon extract, and vanilla extract and mix again until combined. With the mixer running, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix only until the dough comes together.
2. Move the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 hours. During the last 10 minutes of chilling, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
3. Scoop the dough in even 1/4 cup portions and roll each one into a ball. Set a dough ball on a lightly floured surface, dust the top lightly with flour, and use something flat and smooth, such as the storage container lid, to press it evenly to 1/2" thick, giving you about a 2 2/3" – 2 3/4 " circular cookie.
4. Place the flattened dough on a Silpat lined cookie sheet, fitting 6 cookies per cookie sheet, and shape the remaining dough the same way. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 – 11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost once fully cooled.
5. For the lemon frosting, combine all of the frosting ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Mix in food coloring if desired, or top the cookies with yellow sprinkles.