Lemon Sugar Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't know about you all, but I am soooo ready for Spring. As in: it's-42-degrees-out-and-I-wear-sandals ready for Spring.
It's time, folks.
It's time.
Unfortunately, the weather does not agree with me on this point and is stubbornly sticking with Winter and cold winds and threats of school-canceling snowstorms. So I've had to resort to cooking spring/summery foods to bring Spring inside.

These soft lemony cookies are just what the Spring-doctor ordered. They have just a hint of lemon in the cookie and a hint of lemon in the frosting...just enough lemon to make you think budding tulips, sunny blue skies, and a gentle breeze.  If you have any leftover, make sure to store them in the refrigerator; my kids voted that these cookies taste best cold.

Sorry the picture's not that great...I made these for Family Night and they were all consumed before I could get a good pic.  Then Dr. C made them again for me to take to Craft night and I was *of course* late, so I snapped a pick on my way out the door.

Lemon Sugar Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting
Source: Lulu the Baker

For the cookies:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup crisco
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For the frosting:
 1/4 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 lb. powdered sugar
pinch of salt
fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid) cream together butter, crisco, and sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla, egg, and lemon zest; mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until combined.  Add milk and lemon juice. Mix until completely combined. Roll dough into Tablespoon-sized balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn golden on the edges. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting:
In a medium sized bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add vanilla.  Add powdered sugar and salt.  Stir until well combined.  Mix in fresh lemon juice until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.