Mix it up

Nothing spreads holiday cheer quite like sharing some homemade goodies with friends and neighbors.

I love giving creamy, chocolaty fudge to folks — it's always a hit, and it's so easy to make. I have a new cookie recipe to share this year, too, and I'm very excited about it. These lemon cookies have just the right amount of bright, lemony flavor that balances beautifully with the white morsels in every bite. And dipping them in the melted morsels not only adds more of that great taste, it makes them very pretty, too.

I hope you have as much fun as I do baking and sharing your favorite recipes this holiday season. You can find even more giftable goodie recipes at www.VeryBestBaking.com.

Premier White Lemon Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup grated lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (12-ounce package) Nestlé Toll House Premier White Morsels, divided

1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

COMBINE flour and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Add flour mixture just until blended. Stir in one cup morsels.

DIVIDE dough into four even pieces. Gently shape each piece into an 8 x 1-inch diameter log. Wrap logs tightly in wax paper. Refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm.

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

UNWRAP logs; cut each log with serrated knife into 16 slices, about 1/2-inch thick. If necessary, reshape edges of cookies. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 13 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. Cool for two minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

LINE baking sheets with wax paper.

MICROWAVE remaining 1 cup morsels and vegetable shortening in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70 percent) power for one minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.

DIP top half of cookies into melted morsels. Scrape off excess against side of bowl. Place on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.

NOTE: Dough logs may be frozen up to one month in advance. Place wrapped logs in plastic freezer storage bags.