Citrus Buttercups
Springtime is here and so many beautiful flowers in bloom, but how about a flower that you can actually eat! Yep, and they are delicious. Lemon cookie dough formed into flowers with a orange cream cheese center for delicious Citrus Buttercups.
Cookie or Pie?
This recipe is super fun and easy to make. The dough is super simple, much like making a pie crust without the fuss.
Lemon Meets Orange
Lemon and orange are the two flavors that come together to make this a fun citrus cookie. Lemon gets incorporated into the dough and the orange zest is part of the creamy center.
Together these Citrus Buttercups make a bright and fruity cookie that is super fun to eat.
These remind me of mini tarts because the cookie is flaky like a pie crust and the center is much like a pie filling.
To finish off with a light dusting of powdered sugar showcases this creative and fun cookie you can’t wait to try.
I decided to go with yellow for the cookie to make it more festive for spring. You eat with your eyes first, and this beautiful yellow definitely cries out, “Try Me.”
Recipe Inspiration
This recipe initially came from one of my first cookbooks I purchased when I wanted to learn how to bake. Interesting enough, it was one of those recipes I stared and dog eared the page to want to make, but never did.
This spring, I was inspired to take a shot at it and adapt it to a springtime version.
Not only is this fun to eat, but its crunchy and creamy all in one bite. The orange filling just hits you first with the fresh zest, followed by the lemon. Seriously, its a party in your mouth.
These are perfect to serve at a luncheon or tea party. Even better, wrapped up in a cute bag and give as gifts. Your friends will be impressed.
Check out some of other of my favorite cookies
- Quarantine Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches
- Oreo Trifecta
- Ice Cream Cone Cookies
- Rose Meringues
- Snickerbutters
- White Chocolate Orange
- Cookies and Cream Shortbread
Citrus Buttercups
Lemon cookie wrapped around a orange creamy center to form a beautiful Citrus Buttercup cookie bursting with color and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 dozen 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup flour
- pinch salt
- 1 stick butter-unsalted (cold, cut into pieces)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 tsp lemon extract
- 1–2 drops yellow coloring
Orange Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp orange extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
Cookie Dough
- Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl with the paddle. Add the cold butter pieces and mix till a sandy mixture is formed. Much like making a pie crust. Add the sour cream, egg yolk, and lemon extract and mix till a dough comes together. Add the lemon color to achieve the yellow color you desire.
- Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, flatten into a disc. Refrigerate 4 hours or longer till chilled.
- Spray a 12 cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Gently flour work surface and roll the dough out thin about 1/8″ thin. Using a 3″ square cutter, cut out 12 squares from the dough. Gathering and re-rolling the dough till all is used.
- Fill each square with a tsp of orange filling.
- Gather all the side together in the middle but don’t pinch together. Place on top of a mini muffin cup, but don’t push down in the muffin cups. Gently place on top of each one. Refrigerate 30 min to chill the dough.
- Preheat oven to 375 and bake 20 min or so till just lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
Orange Filling
- Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, extract, and orange zest till creamy and combined. Cover and refrigerate till ready to use.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from “butter, sugar, flour, eggs”
