The perfect time of year for Mojito Cookies

I don't know what it is about summer, but it leaves me craving mojitos, hanging out with friends and generally doing nothing productive.  Oh my house is dirty oh well...and wait I should totally go for a run this evening...oops probably not the best idea after an afternoon cocktail.  Maybe I can go for an easy bike ride instead.  I crave these probably because they are cool and refreshing, plus I might have mint just growing in a pot on my front porch.  So while I was laying at the pool one afternoon and dreaming of having a cocktail while making baked goods I thought up these.

These are a cakey cookie.  There are not hard crunchy bits to these cookies.  They are light and fluffy with a lovely lime taste and just right hint of mint and rum.  Definitely a cookie that screams of summer, of picnics and relaxing.  So if you love mojitos as much as I do, or just are in the mood for something a bit different give these a dry.  Oh and did I mention they are low-fat because they are totes made with part butter and part low-fat ricotta cheese...

What's up baking from the coffee table...butter and sugar creamed, plus dry ingredients mixed.

A little low-fat ricotta to lighten these up.

The lime flavor in these cookies is all about the zest and the juice.

Whisk until just mixed...like cake batter we don't want to over mix these.

Cookie dough scooped with my cookie scoop and into the oven.

Now to make these mojito cookies...a rum mint lime glaze and a little more lime zest.

Mojito Cookies:

*makes approximately 44 cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons lime or key lime juice

1 lime, zested

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons rum
6 mint leaves, chopped 
1/2 tablespoon lime juice

1 lime, zested

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  In a small bowl combine the rum and mint leaves for glaze and set aside.  (This will allow time for the mint to infuse the rum.)

2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lime juice, and lime zest. Beat to combine.

4.  Stir in the dry ingredients.  Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. 

5.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

7.  Remove the mint leaves from the rum.

8.  In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, rum and lime juice; stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread.  The sprinkle the top of each cookie with lime zest.  Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours or serve immediately.  

Note: If storing in a container layer cookies with parchment paper so that they do not stick together.