These Citrus Trio Butter Dipping Cookies are delicate, piped shortbread fingers that offer a crisp snap and a burst of zesty flavor in every bite. Enriched with cream cheese for a subtle tang and tender crumb, this versatile dough is split three ways to showcase fresh lemon, lime, and orange zest, creating a vibrant platter perfect for dipping into tea or coffee.
Jump to RecipeCitrus Trio Butter Dipping Cookies Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter: Cool but not fridge-cold. (For Vegan: Use 1 cup stick margarine).
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese: Cool but not fridge-cold. (For Vegan: Use 4 ounces vegan cream cheese).
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar: Provides the crisp texture.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Flavor base. (For Vegan: Increase to 1 1/2 teaspoons).
- 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour: The structural component.
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder: Provides a tiny amount of lift.
- Dash of Salt: Enhances the citrus flavors.
- Finely Grated Zest from 1 Lime: For a tart, bright note.
- Finely Grated Zest from 1 Orange: For a sweet, floral note.
- Finely Grated Zest from 1 Lemon: For a classic, sharp citrus note.
How To Make Citrus Trio Butter Dipping Cookies
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare unlined baking sheets. Do not grease the sheets or use parchment paper, as the dough needs to grip the pan to pipe correctly.
- Cream the Fats: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cool butter (or margarine), cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine: Turn the mixer to the lowest speed. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until blended and no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
- Flavor the Dough: Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Gently stir the lime zest into the first bowl, the orange zest into the second, and the lemon zest into the third. You now have three distinct batters.
- Pipe the Cookies: Scrape one of the batters into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip (or a sturdy plastic bag with the corner snipped). Pipe straight strips about 2 inches long onto the cold baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. While one batch bakes, prepare the next bag with a different citrus flavor.
- Cool: Remove from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up (they will be fragile while hot). Use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Temperature Control: The butter and cream cheese must be “cool but pliable.” If they are too warm/soft, the cookies will spread into puddles in the oven. If they are too cold, you won’t be able to pipe them.
- Piping Technique: If you don’t have a piping tip, a Ziploc bag works perfectly. Snip a small corner (about the width of a pencil). Pipe quickly and confidently to get straight lines.
- Zesting: Zest only the colorful outer skin of the fruit. Avoid the white pith underneath, which is bitter and will ruin the delicate flavor of the cookie.
- Cold Sheets: Pipe onto cool baking sheets. If reusing a sheet from the oven, run it under cold water and dry it thoroughly before piping the next batch, or the butter will melt prematurely.
What To Serve With Dipping Cookies
- Earl Grey Tea: The bergamot in the tea complements all three citrus flavors perfectly.
- Espresso: A strong, bitter coffee balances the sweet, buttery cookie.
- Dark Chocolate Ganache: Serve a small bowl of warm ganache on the side for dipping the ends of the orange cookies.
How To Store Dipping Cookies
- Room Temperature: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: These cookies freeze well. Layer them with wax paper in a container to prevent breaking and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Texture Note: Because of the cream cheese, these cookies will soften slightly over time in storage, becoming more tender.
Citrus Trio Cookies Nutrition Facts
- Calories: ~70 kcal
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Protein: 1g
- Nutrition information is estimated per cookie based on a standard yield.
FAQs
Why did my cookies lose their shape?
This usually happens if the butter was too warm or the dough was over-beaten (adding too much air). Ensure your ingredients are cool and stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated.
Can I make these without a mixer?
Yes, but it requires significant elbow grease to cream the cool butter and cream cheese together smoothly. A handheld electric mixer works well if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Can I skip the zest?
Absolutely. As noted in the cook’s note, these make excellent plain butter dipping cookies. You can also substitute almond extract for the zest for a different flavor profile.
Citrus Trio Butter Dipping Cookies Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: EasyServings
36
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
12
minutesCalories
70
kcalCrisp, piped butter cookies enriched with cream cheese and flavored with fresh lemon, lime, and orange zest.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
Zest of 1 lime, 1 orange, 1 lemon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into butter mixture.
- Divide dough into 3 bowls; add a different zest to each.
- Pipe 2-inch strips onto cold, ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool on sheets briefly, then transfer to rack.
Notes
- Ensure butter is cool to maintain the piped shape.
- Pipe onto unlined sheets for better grip.
- Avoid the bitter white pith when zesting fruit.
