Lemon Tea Cookies

from taste of home, these lovely cookies are rich and buttery and have a lovely lemon filling

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 54

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  egg yolk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped walnuts

• Filling

• 3  tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 1⁄2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  grated  orange peel
• 1 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2  drops  yellow food coloring, optional

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
2. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla.
3. Gradually add flour.
4. Shape into two 14 inch rolls; reshape each roll into a 14 inch x 1 1/8 inch x 1 1/8 inch block.
5. Wrap each in plastic wrap.
6. Refrigerate overnight.
7. Unwrap and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
8. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
9. Sprinkle half of the cookies with nuts, gently pressing into dough.
10. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
11. Remove to wire racks to cool.
12. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter, lemon juice and orange peel.
13. Gradually add confectioners' sugar.
14. Tint yellow if desired.
15. Spread about 1 t.
16. on bottom of the plain cookies; place nut topped cookies over filling.