Lime and Pepita Sugar Cookies

These make a nice addition to any cookie tray or a cool refreshing cookie to serve along side lime serbert during the warm summer months. Pepitas are pumplin seeds and I usually purchase them in bulk at the health food store. The recipe was printed in the spring 2006 issue of Sabroso and local dining guide.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups sugar, divided
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 3 -4  limes, juice and zest of
• 2  eggs
• 3 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup  pepitas, toasted
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
3. While the oven preheats, chop the pepitas and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat just until slightly browned, set aside.
4. In a large mixer bowl, cream 2 cups of sugar, butter, oil and the zest of 2 of the limes.
5. Add the eggs and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Measure the lime juice and add 1/4 cup to the eggs mixture, reserving any additional juice for other uses.
7. In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, pepitas, soda and salt.
8. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture mixing well.
9. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with the remaining zest of 2 limes.
10. Using a heaping tablespoonful of dough, lightly form the dough into a ball and drop the into the sugar/zest mixture and roll lightly to coat.
11. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet; flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.
12. Bake in preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.