Zucchini Cookies

During a recent trip to my parent's farm I had the urge to bake so found myself flipping through my mom's cookbooks.  It felt a little bit like I stepped back 20 years as those Betty Crocker cookbooks from the sixies were how I killed time many, many afternoons when I was a kid and "running down to the garden" for ingredients was a daily task.  When I landed on the recipe for Zucchini Cookies with a Lemon Frosting I was intrigued and so had to try them.  And of course take the subsequent trip down to the garden for the zucchini.

They are really quite wonderful.  Light, moist, and almost spongy in texture with a hint of fall in the nutmeg that is balanced by the tart of the frosting.  I was happy to come across this little recipe as it is a nice break from the traditional cookie flavors.

Zucchini Cookies

Adapted from Betty Crocker

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all -purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 to 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugars, butter, and eggs in a mixing bowl.  Sift together in a medium sized bowl the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Stir the flour mixture in with the butter mixture.  Add the remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched.  After they cool frost with Lemon Frosting.

Lemon Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix powdered sugar, margarine, and lemon peel. Beat in lemon juice; stir in additional lemon juice or water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency.  Use water to thin if you prefer a little less tartness.

Enjoy!

- Tara