Dreamsicle cookies

These turned out exactly the way I wanted them to. The crystalline glaze that gently breaks under your teeth, the sharp tang of orange, the soft, creamy vanilla inside . . . everything I love about dreamsicles, in cookie form. Mmm, I want another one, right now, but I've gotta post first.

Scott doesn't like citrus-flavored cookies, or ice-cream bars, or cakes -- he says citrus-flavored desserts are "gross". I made these anyway, and he totally changed his ideas about citrus, said that he loved them and asked for some lime sherbet to go with them! Oh, wait, no, he totally didn't. He doesn't like citrus-flavored desserts. Oh well.

I was feeling silly, so I shaped these in a vaguely ice-cream bar shape, but there's no need to do that. For further silliness, I didn't coat the bottom fourth-inch or so of the cookie, because I wanted the 'ice cream' to peek out. I did make a few simple round ones, and dipped the tops of them in the glaze, which was easier and prettier, but not as cute.

I used some cake flour for these, because I wanted them to be fluffier, but all purpose flour can be used instead, with no adjustments.

The cookies should stay quite pale. To check for doneness, gently lift up on an edge. If it's done, it should hold together, and not be gooey.

The secret ingredient for the glaze is pureed apricot preserves. If you don't happen to have any left from your Apricot Thumbprint cookies, you can warm up some unpureed preserves and run a bit through a strainer. Or just replace it with butter. It won't give you the same zing, but, it's butter, so it's probably worth the trade.

The recipe for the glaze calls for a double boiler. I don't have one, so I used a heat proof bowl that fits over a small pot. You could try the microwave, but I'm not sure it would work out. I tried spooning the glaze over the cookies, but it took too long, and dipping looked better.

Oh, and if you happen to have the ingredients on hand, you could whip up some of the glaze from the Brownie Bites recipe and make yourself some fudgesicles. These might come in handy if you have a husband who has a weird dislike of citrus-flavored cookies. For example.

Grades- Scott: D+ (B for the fudgesicles), Becky: A, Greengirl: A, Blueboy: A+

Dreamsicle Cookies

1 c butter, softened

2 c sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 c all purpose flour

1 1/2 c cake flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in cake flour. Shape the dough on waxed paper, making a rectangle with a rounded top. Chill 1 hour or longer.

Cut into slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until just cooked.

As the cookies cool, prepare the glaze.

2 c sifted powdered sugar

1 T pureed apricot preserves

1/4 t orange extract

3 T orange juice

1 T lemon juice

5 drops of yellow and 4 drops of red food coloring, if desired

In the top of a double boiler, combine all ingredients. Heat (over, not in hot water) for 10 minutes, until it becomes somewhat translucent, stirring frequently.

Dip the cookies in slightly cooled glaze.