These are super easy and so good! From a Betty Crocker cookbook

Lemon Cream Oat Bars

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375. Grease square pan, 9 Ã 9 Ã 2 inches. Mix sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest and lemon juice in medium bowl until thickened; set aside. Mix remaining ingredients in medium bowl with spoon until crumbly (you can also mix this in a stand mixer on low speed). Press half of the crumbly mixture in pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until set. Spread milk mixture over baked layer. Sprinkle remaining crumbly mixture over milk mixture; press gently into milk mixture. Bake about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is set but soft. Cool completely. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

This is a recipe a friend forwarded to me thinking I would like them. They do seem like something I would like; however, I have not had time to make them yet.

Cookie:

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 C sugar
1 Egg
4t Lime zest
2t Orange zest
2T Fresh lime juice
1/2 t Almond extract
1-1/2 C Flour
1 C Yellow cornmeal

Cream butter & sugar; add egg; add zest, juice & extract; add flour and cornmeal.

Chill one hour.

Use small scoop, press flat with glass dipped in more cornmeal.

Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes. Let Cool. Top w/1 T glaze

Glaze:

3-1/4 C Powdered sugar
8T Lime juice
2-1/2 t Lime zest.

I'm not sure who's recipe this one is, but it is so good and refreshing....

Lemon Ginger Bars
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind
1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon double acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Pre-bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter, add 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon of the rind, the crystallized ginger, the ground ginger, and a pinch of salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour in batches, a 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Beat the mixture until it is well combined. Spread the batter evenly in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake in the middle of the oven at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until browned lightly around the edges.
   2. While the crust is baking, in a bowl whisk together the eggs, the granulated sugar, the lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon rind, 3 Tbsp of flour, and the baking powder. Whisk until well blended. Pour the lemon mixture over the pre-baked crust. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden. If you want, sift the remaining 3 Tbsp of powdered sugar over the top. Let the mixture cool in the pan on a rack. Cut it into 36 bars.
   Makes 36 cookies.

Linda P

these all sound wonderful, thank you so much. that is a beautiful picture of the lemon bars, tracey!!

I was thinking the same thing! I'm thinking of making some sugar cookies frosted with a lemon icing. Here's the recipe I found that I am going to try.

GRANDMA'S ITALIAN SPRINKLE COOKIES

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon
3 tsp baking powder

Cream together butter and sugar.
Mix in the the eggs, 3 cups flour, 1 tsp vanilla.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes cover with a watery frosting made of powder sugar and warm water top with sprinkles

Submitted by: Grandma

Get yourself a box of "Krusteaz Key Lime Bar Mix".

There is a lime butter cookie recipe on the side panel. You have to add some stuff to the bar mix to make cookies instead of the bars... I think flour, butter, baking soda, etc.

Anyway, follow the recipe as noted...these are the best lime cookies I have ever had. I make a little icing for them with some powdered sugar and fresh lime juice. The lemon ones made with the Lemon Bar Mix aren't bad either.

Here is a recipe from MaryE that is light and delicious.

Lemon Pistachio Cookies

2 cups Flour
1/2 teas Baking soda
1/4 teas Salt
3/4 cup Butter or margarine -- at room temperature(**I use butter)
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
1/3 cup Chopped fresh lemon basil (optional) **I used lemon balm in lieu of the lemon basil

Mixture in which to roll cookie balls prior to baking:
1/3 c Finely chopped pistachio
3 tb Sugar

Stir together and set aside.

For the cookies:

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, mixing until combined. Add lemon rind, lemon juice (and lemon basil, if using.)

Stir in the dry ingredients, blending thoroughly. Wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Shape the dough into 1" balls. Roll the balls of dough into the reserved pistachio-sugar mixture until coated. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press cookies down with the bottom of a small glass, or the palm of your hand to flatten them slightly.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Transfer to racks to cool.

Yield: About 5 dozen.

I like thin, crisp cookies in the summertime. Both these recipes are from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book.

Lace Cookies

1 1/2 c uncooked oatmeal (not instant)
1 1/2 c light brown sugar
2 T flour
1/2 t salt
10 T butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 t vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350
Combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter, then add the egg & vanilla and mix well. Drop the batter by half-teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for about 1 1/2 minutes. They are ready to remove from the sheets when they have stiffened slightly. If they should get too hard on the sheet, you can put htem back into the warm oven for about a minute to soften slightly.

Sesame Seed Wafers

6 T butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
1 c toasted sesame seeds

(You can toast the sesame seeds in a dry fry pan over a medium heat until they brown slightly and the room smells of sesame. Don't skip this step, as it makes a really big difference in taste. Sometimes, when I'm feeling decorative, I make these with a mixture of black and brown sesame seeds.)

Preheat teh oven to 350 degrees and grease some cookie sheets.

Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg & vanilla, and beat until light & fluffy. Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and sesame seeds. Add the mixtures together & stir until completely mixed.

Drop small teaspoonfuls of the dough about 2 inches apart onto the greased cookie sheets. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until cookies have spread and are lightly browned. Remove from the oven, let cool for about 30 seconds, then carefully lift a corner to see if the cookies are firming up. If so, remove carefully with a spatula and transfer to racks to cool. Like the Lace Cookies, if they become too hard, put them back into the warm oven for a minute to soften them.

thanks everyone! i actually went with the krusteaz box mix...SOOO easy and delicious!

i think my next cookies will be those sesame seed wafers--they sound so unusual and yummy.

Summer cookies? I think cookies are year round food, LOL.

Still, this is one of my favorites, although I double the lemon in the recipe because I love lemon. They are a bit "tough" in texture, I added a teaspoonful of baking powder and Ashley liked that, more like cake. I like them better a little tough, LOL.

Lemon Brownies (Marilyn)
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; room temperature
4 eggs
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Additional lemon zest for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottom only of a 9X13X2-inch baking dish with Parchment paper and spray with Pam. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt; add butter. Stir together eggs, juice from 1/2 lemon and zest from 1 lemon; stir into batter and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. When brownies are cool prepare glaze by stirring together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon lemon juice; drizzle over brownies and sprinkle with additional lemon zest.

I don't remember where the heck I got this recipe, but they're good.

Lemon-Lime Butter Wafers

Makes about 8 dozen 2-1/4 inch cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest (about 1 large lime)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon each lemon and lime juices
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Rains Choice vanilla sugar
Preparation:

Sift the flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a mixer or heavy spoon, beat butter and lemon and lime zests until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the sugar slowly and mix well. Blend in the lemon and lime juices and pure vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in two sections, mixing just until blended.

Put the vanilla sugar in a long, shallow pan. Shape half of the dough into a log about 10 inches long and roll gently in the vanilla sugar to thoroughly coat. Place the cookie log on a piece of plastic wrap and roll tightly, twisting the ends tightly to seal. Press the ends of the dough with your hands to compact the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough. Refrigerate the cookie log for about 2 1/2 hours, or freeze until ready to use.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a sharp thin-bladed knife, cut cookie log into 1/8 inch rounds. Set the rounds 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes, rotating cookies as needed. Let cool about 5 minutes before transferring cookies to racks with a spatula.

Finally, I think this is one of Ann T's recipes:

Shortbread Tarts with Lemon Filling
===================================
Source: Appeal Magazine
Shortbread crust
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Filling
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs well beaten
1/2 cups butter at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine shortbread ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix to form dough. Divide dough into 24 pieces. Pat each portion of dough into a 1 1/2" (4 cm) tart tin, using your fingers to shape it into a shell. Prick the bottom of each tart with a fork. Bake 10 minutes and then prick bottoms again as the shells puff up. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow tarts to cool on a wire rack before filling.
To prepare lemon filling, combine juice and zest in a double boiler. Whisk in sugar, eggs and butter, blending well. Place over gently boiling water and whisk constantly until mixture thickens. Cool before using to fill tart
shells. Lemon filling can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
(Note: I did not cook using a double boiler. I added the juice, zest, sugar and butter to the pot and brought to a boil. Then I beat the eggs and added some of the hot mixture to the eggs to temper before adding this egg mixture to the pan. I continued to stir over low heat until the mixture thickened.)

Servings: 4

Now, I'm going to have lunch, I wish I had cookies.

Annie