Ingredients

• Cookies
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teapoon ground cardamom


• Icing
• 3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
• 3 teaspoons skim milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In an electric mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and 1 cup of the sguar until fluffy and well-blended. Add egg whites, lemon zest and extracts, and beat again until smooth.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and cardamom. Add dry ingredients to cream mixtur e and mix on low speed until well-blended.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Roll cookie dough balls in sugar, then place 2 inches apart on baking sheets sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Flatten cookie dough balls with the bottom of a glass (bottom of glass must be flat), dipping the bottom of the glass in the sugar before flattening each cookie.

Bake for 5-7 minutes or until bottoms of cookies turn light golden in color. (Note: Tops of cookies will not brown, so be careful not to over cook. To check the bottom of a cookie, simply scoop up one cookie with a thin metal spatula, push the cookie slightly over the edge of the spatula and look underneath the cookie.)

Once baked, transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Drizzle with icing using a spoon or baker's icing tool.


In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients. To thin icing, add a few drops of milk; to thicken icing, add a small amount of powdered sugar until desired drizzling consistency is reached.