Sugar Cookie Lemon Pies

My coworker made me aware of this recipe since she loves lemons and knows that I'll bake something lemony for her birthday. (See the creations for the last two years below.)

Super Lemony Breakfast Rolls            Lemon Pull Apart Bread

 

Extra savvy readers will notice that we are still a month+ away from my coworker's bday. Well, I figured a test run wouldn't hurt for the 4th of July where the host of the fireworks watching party I went to is a big lemon fan.

 

(Don't worry...I was nice and saved some for my coworker and brought them in the next day.)

 

I must say, these lovely lemon pie filled sugar cookies are really good! It's like a lemon meringue pie but in a sugar cookie crust and without the meringue.

 

If you love lemony desserts, I highly suggest making this one.

Sugar Cookie Lemon Tart Recipe (from The Lady Behind the Curtain - has great step by step photos)
Ingredients (crust)
1 package of pre made refrigerated Pillsbury cookie dough (Erika's Extras: I used the roll of dough which requires a little more slicing work than a pull apart cookie dough rounds)
Directions (crust)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place each square of dough (Erika's Extras: or cut the roll of dough into 1 inch slices and cut the slice in half) into a mini muffin cup. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the cookies are still hot, dip the end of a wooden spoon into sugar and carefully make a well in the cookie making sure a hole in the bottom of the dough is not created. (Erika's Extras: I found you can be rather tough with the dough at the top of the cup without creating a hole.)
Sprinkle cups with sugar. Put pan back in oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Cool completely in muffin pan.
When cooled pop out of cookie cups. (Erika's Extras: Make the filling while the cookie cups are cooling.)

Ingredients (filling)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (Erika's Extras: my lemon lover friends could tell I squeezed the lemons myself!)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
additional lemon zest (optional)
Directions (filling)
In a medium saucepan stir together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon peel, lemon juice, water and the butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Gradually stir about half of the hot lemon mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Return egg yolk mixture to the saucepan along with the remaining lemon mixture that was left in the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap; chill until needed.  Fills ~18 cups. 

Bake well and prosper!