Lemon Poinsettia Cookies

A Holiday Cookie That Looks As Good As It Tastes

These lemon poinsettia cookies are equal parts dessert and centerpiece. A buttery lemon shortbread base topped with cream cheese spread and decorated with sliced strawberry petals and fresh mint leaves arranged into the shape of a poinsettia flower. They’re the kind of cookie that makes guests stop and ask how you did it.

The trick is in the cookie itself. Lemon extract in both the dough and the cream cheese spread layers the citrus flavor on two fronts. The shortening-and-margarine combination is what gives this cookie its signature tender, slightly crumbly texture that holds up to decoration without going hard.

Rolling the dough ¼ inch thick and using a 3-inch round or scalloped cutter creates the perfect canvas. Too thin and the cookies snap under the topping; too thick and they overpower the decoration.

The cream cheese spread is the edible glue that holds the strawberries and mint in place. Made with just three ingredients, it’s smooth, lightly sweet, and stable enough to keep its shape when refrigerated.

Pro Tips

• Chill the dough briefly if it’s sticky to roll. 15 minutes in the refrigerator firms it up enough to handle.
• Use a sharp cookie cutter and don’t twist when pressing through the dough. Twisting seals the edges and the cookies bake unevenly.
• Pull the cookies as soon as edges turn light brown. Overbaked shortbread loses tenderness.
• Slice the strawberries thin and uniform. Five slices make perfect petals for each “flower.”
• Decorate the cookies the day of serving. Strawberries weep moisture into the cream cheese spread overnight.

Variations

• Use orange extract and orange zest in place of lemon for a different citrus profile.
• Top with sliced kiwi or red grapes if strawberries aren’t in season.
• Tint the cream cheese spread pale pink with a drop of red food coloring for an even more vibrant flower effect.