Grapefruit Cookies with Grapefruit Glaze

It’s starting to feel like fall, but I am still catching up with baking. I had no idea what I wanted to bake this week, as I am not yet fully back at work and I want to make the time off last as long as possible! My husband went looking and homed in on grapefruit. He sent me two recipes, and I combined them to make these cookies. 

My husband lived in Florida for a while when he was growing up, and I hope these cookies make him think of the good times there. When we visited Florida (some time ago), we went to an orange grove, which was an amazing experience. They grew all sorts of citrus, and many species/varieties of each type of fruit. Did you know that some orange trees have thorns? I didn’t!

Since I didn’t want to roll out cookies, I made the first recipe when you shape the dough into balls and bake them. The original recipe said you could refrigerate the dough, I didn’t really, and this is a step that you don’t want to skip. Mine also spread a lot, so you don’t want to make them too large. The glaze was great, and it does still spread a little no matter how thick you make the glaze! These cookies have a refreshing grapefruit flavor, tart but still sweet, and just a little bit unexpected.

Grapefruit Cookies with Grapefruit Glaze
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground ginger
Additional sugar

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp grapefruit juice
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream 
Grapefruit zest

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Mix in the grapefruit juice and zest. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger. The dough will be soft. Refrigerate the dough for an hour to firm up the dough.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape them into 1 tablespoon balls. Roll in additional sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until set. The cookies will not be browned. Reshape the cookies into circles if required. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze: in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, grapefruit juice and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Continuing to whisk, add additional heavy cream until the glaze is thick, but still spreadable. Spoon a small amount of glaze on each cookie and spread it around. (The glaze will continue to spread as the cookies sit.) Top the cookies with grapefruit zest to garnish. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Cookie recipe from Homesick Texan and glaze recipe from Desserts for Life