Honey Butter Cookies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup honey
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
HONEY BUTTER FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
milk, as needed
HONEY BEES
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
milk, as needed
yellow food coloring paste
1/4 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preparation

to prepare cookies:.
beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds -- add sugar, baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt.
Beat until combined.
beat in honey, egg and if desired, lemon extract until combined.
add flour by beating in or stirring in -- until combined.
Chill 1 hour or until it is easy enough to handle.
preheat oven to 375*.
lightly grease a cookie sheet, set aside.
on a lightly floured surface, roll dough until it is 1/4\" thick.
using 2 1/2\" cookie cutters, cut dough into desired shapes.
place cutouts 1\" apart on prepared cookie sheet.
bake in a preheated 375* oven for 7-8 minutes or until cookies are golden and edges are set.
transfer to a wire rack and cool.
frost with honey butter frosting and if desired, top with honey bees.
Yield about 30 cookies.
to prepare HONEY BUTTER FROSTING:.
in a medium saucepan, combine 3 tbls butter and 3 tbls honey.bring to boiling, remove from heat and stir in 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tsps lemon juice.cool to room temperature.
if necessary, add milk, one tsp at a time until frosting is of desired spreading consistency.
to prepare HONEY BEES.
prepare another honey butter frosting -- then divide in half.
tint one half with yellow food coloring.mix well.
combine remaining frosting with 1/4 cup melted semisweet chocolate chips.stir in additional milk, one 1 tsp at a time until both frostings are of piping consistency.
pipe alternate bands of yellow and brown frosting on top of each cookie.
pipe antennae with brown frosting.
add slices almonds for wings.
to STORE:.
place cookies in layers seperated by waxed aper in an airtight container, cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze unfrosted cookies up to 1 month.
thaw cookies, then frost.