Margarita Cookies

Yields: 24 whole cookies, 48 half cookies
Mochi Thoughts

2¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½  teaspoon salt

1½  cups sugar

2 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces

1 teaspoon lime zest

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still warm

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon lime juice

1½ tablespoons tequila

Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Combine sugar, the lime zest, and cream cheese in a large bowl (no need to stir them together yet). Pour the warm butter over the cream cheese mixture and whisk to combine – the mixture won’t be completely smooth yet, that’s fine. Whisk in the oil then the egg, milk, tequila and lime juice. Mix until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet, until a soft dough comes together.

Portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a cookie scoop, using about 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Roll the dough into a ball with your hands. Repeat until you’ve used all of the dough, placing 12 cookies on each baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the dough balls into discs that are about 2 inches in diameter.

Bake the cookies, 1 tray at a time, for about 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are set and beginning to brown. The tops will be puffy and slightly cracked. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to the rack to cool completely.

Frosting
I adapted the Mojito Cupcake frosting from The Cheesecakeerian and altered it to make it into a margarita flavor by using tequila instead of rum

½ cup unsalted butter
8 ounces cream cheese (1 package)
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons tequila
1 Tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
1½ to 3 cups powdered sugar (I used about 2)
Green food coloring

Cream the butter, sugar and salt together until fully combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the cold cream cheese a chunk at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding the next.

Add the tequila and lime juice and mix until just incorporated. Taste the frosting and add more sugar if needed.
Separate about a quarter before adding the food coloring for the lines on the frosting.

Add the food coloring one drop at a time and combine thoroughly after each, until you have the color you want. Spread onto the cookies.

Whatever is left, mix in a bit more food coloring to get a darker color to make the lime peel and outline the arch of the cookie. Add the three white lines to finish.