Lemony Tea Cookies

¾ cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3 drops yellow food coloring

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream butter and sugar together in large mixing bowl.  Add egg, salt, vanilla extract and mix well.  Slowly mix in flour.  Remove ¾ cup of dough to small bowl and stir in lemon peel and food coloring. Divide lemon dough into 36 pieces and shape into ½-inch balls.  Place balls on wax paper, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

Divide remaining dough into 36 pieces and roll into balls.  Place lemon dough ball into the center of each unflavored dough ball.  Cover lemon dough ball completely and form a larger ball.  Form 18 cookies, keeping remaining lemon dough balls refrigerated until ready for use.  Repeat, forming 18 remaining cookies while baking first set.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, two inches apart.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool completely.

In small bowl, stir together glaze ingredients.  Dip top of each cookie into glaze and place on wire rack over waxed paper. 

If desired, cookies can be decorated with piped buttercream frosting or other small candied garnishes.