Lemon Sunshine and Rainbow Butterflies

If you are what you eat, then I think I'm going on a diet of Lemon Sunshine and Rainbow Butterfly cookies!

We're celebrating Halie's birthday tomorrow and this girl is made of Sunshine and Rainbows. I decided to make her some cookies with her initials HH along with some bright lemon sugar cookies. She is sweet as can be and I can't wait for her to see her treats! Sometimes a cupcake just won't do.

Lemon Sunshine Cookies

1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Zest 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
Yellow gel color

Cream together the sugar, butter, shortening, zest, and extracts until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add in the flour, salt and baking powder and the yellow color. Mix until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the dough using additional flower and cut out shapes. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 6-8 minutes. Let sit for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Frost if desired and use colored sugar to decorate.