MISE EN PLACE OF COOKIE DOUGH

• To see how Mise en Place can benefit you, see The Finer Cookie’s post on why everyone should Mise en Place.
• Measure the butter into the bowl of mixer.
• Measure the confectioners sugar into a separate bowl.
• Measure the flour and set aside.
• Separate the eggs. Read more about how to separate eggs here.

• Zest the limes and half the orange. Click here to read more about zesting citrus.

NOTE ON SUGAR COATING

• If your using the white sugar and green food colouring, measure a spoonful of sugar into a bowl and add a tiny spec of green food colouring. Stir to distribute the colour as evenly as possible. Then add more white sugar one spoonful of a time. With each addition, stir the white sugar into the green colored sugar. The new addition will take on the green coloring. As you add more and more white sugar, the color of the sugar coating will become lighter and lighter. You’re looking for a pale lime green shade.
• If you’re using the green and white sanding sugars, starting with the white sugar, add one small spoon of green, in very small amounts at a time. Once you’re satisfied with the shade of the sanding sugar, set aside.
• Add 1 or 2 pinches of coarse or fine sea salt and stir to combine.

METHOD FOR MAKING THE DOUGH

• With the paddle attachment at medium speed, beat the butter until it is smooth.
• Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat again until the mixture is smooth and silky.
• Beat in 1 of the egg yolks, followed by the pinch of salt, tequila, grated lime and orange zest.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, beating just until it disappears. It is better to under beat than over beat at this point to keep the cookies tender.
• Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and divide it in half. The dough will be soft.

• Flour the surface well and working quickly and as little as possible, kneed the dough well so that there aren’t any air pockets.
• Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until it’s firm enough to hold a shape.

• Working on a smooth floured surface, form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches (2.5 to 3.2 cm) thick
• Wrap the logs in plastic and chill for 2 hours, up to 3 days or store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

BAKING THE COOKIES

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• While the oven is preheating, work on the sugar coating: Whisk the remaining egg yolk in a small bowl until it is smooth and liquid enough to use as a glaze.
• Spread the coating sugar on a piece of plastic wrap.
• Remove the logs of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap them.
• If you prefer to brush them lightly with a little egg yolk, now is the time.
• Roll the logs in the sugar, pressing the sugar gently to get it to stick if necessary,

• Using a sharp serrated knife, slice each log into cookies about 1/2 inch thick.
• Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) space between them.
• The cookies will not spread much.

• Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are set but not browned. (It’s fine if the yolk-brushed edges brown a smidgen.) The finished texture will be soft and tender in the center, and crispy/crunchy on outside.
• If you feel the cookies are browning too quickly, lower the oven temp by 25 degrees and bake them 2-3 minutes more, until you get a firm resistance when lightly pressed.

• Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool to room temperature.

STORE THE COOKIES

• Store the cookies in an airtight container and they will keep for about 5 days at room temperature.

• Approx. 1/2 c. of coarse white/clear sanding sugar with leaf green gel food colouring OR equal amounts of green and white sanding sugar. SEE NOTE ON SUGAR COATING.