Instructions: Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, lemon peel and orange or tangerine peel in a large bowl until light. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients. Using a spoon, stir until mixture forms dough (dough will be soft). Divide dough into thirds. Gather each third into a ball; flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly, if necessary, before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 350. Generously flour work surface and rolling pin. Place 1 dough disk on work surface (keep remaining dough refrigerated.) Press rolling pin into dough several times to flatten slightly for easier rolling. Roll out dough to 1/8" to 1/4" thickness, frequently lifting and turning dough to prevent sticking. Using assorted cookie cutters dipped into flour, cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to ungreased nonstick baking sheets, spacing 1/2" apart. Gather dough scraps together and reserve.

Bake until cookies turn brown on the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cookies stand on sheets 1 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining 2 dough disks as above, being sure to cool cookie sheets before each batch. Combine all reserved dough scraps and shape into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic and freeze until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes. Repeat.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Powdered Sugar Icing: Combine lemon juice and milk in a large bowl. Whisk in 5 cups of powdered sugar. Gradually whisk in enough remaining sugar by 1/2 cupfuls to form icing stiff enough to pipe (mixture will resemble stirred sour cream). Transfer 2/3 cup icing to a small bowl to use as white icing; set aside. Divide remaining icing equally among 2 or more small bowls; mix food coloring by drops into each bowl, tinting icing to desired shade. If necessary, stir more sugar into icing to thicken.

To use this icing as glaze: spoon a small amount of the white or colored icing into a small bowl. Mix in enough milk by 1/4 teaspoonsfuls to thin icing to spreading consistency. Using a pastry brush, brush glaze over cooled baked cookies. Continue decorating glazed cookies, if desired, using sprinkles, candies, etc.

Icing recipe makes enough for 72 cookies.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.