Tart But Sweet Grapefruit Sugar Cookies

This recipe is the thing that inspired me to start Cottage Kitchen!  As a long-time sugar cookie fan, last holiday season I decided to stray from my usual but beloved vanilla sugar cookie in favor of…a grapefruit cookie.  I figured a fresh grapefruit would provide a delicate citrus taste to the soft and sweet sugar cookie.  It worked just like I planned and to boot, the grapefruit zest gave the cookies an appealing, very slight pink color.  Topped with a frosting flavored with a little fresh grapefruit juice and sanding sugar sprinkles, these cookies are fragrant and delicious.

 After baking these cookies as an experiment one morning, I called my sister to chat and mentioned what I had baked.  Later that week, I called my mother and asked her, “Did I tell you I baked sugar cookies, but flavored with them with grapefruit instead of vanilla’.  She answered, “You didn’t tell me, but your sister did.  That is such a creative idea.  You really have a gift for experimenting with food.  You really need to find a way to share that with the world.  And so today, I am proud to launch Cottage Kitchen.

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Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1 and 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tp. Salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• Zest grated from 1 large pink grapefruit

For the icing:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp. fresh pink grapefruit juice
• ½ cup sanding sugar sprinkles, preferably light pink or white

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Directions:

For the cookies:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together ½ cup softened butter and sugar.  Beat in egg. 
3. In large spoonfuls, add dry ingredient mixture and stir to incorporate. 
4. Lastly, add in grapefruit zest and stir to incorporate.  Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 375 F. 
6. Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and allow to sit out for about half an hour.
7. With a rolling pin, roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface. 
8. Cut out cookies using 3-inch cookie cutters, then transfer to an un-greased cookie sheet. 
9. Bake for about 9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown very slightly. 
10. Cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for one hour before decorating.

To make the icing:

1. Using a fork or an electric mixer, beat powdered sugar into ¼ cups softened butter. 
2. Add grapefruit sugar, and continue to stir. 
3. If necessary, add a very small amount of water in order for powdered sugar to be fully absorbed. 
4. Spread icing evenly over tops of cookies, sprinkling each with about 1 tsp. of sanding sugar. 
5. Allow icing to dry for about 2 hours, if not eating right away.  Makes about 20 cookies.