Lemon Cheesecake Cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
• 60 cinnamon red hot candies, or as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, lemon peel, and lemon extract and beat well.
3. Sift flour and salt together in a bowl. Add to the bowl with the butter mixture in 3 additions, mixing well after each. Add food coloring and mix in thoroughly.
4. Press cookies 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheet using a cookie press fitted with a flower disc. Press 1 red hot cinnamon candy into the center of each cookie.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until just starting to turn golden brown on the edges, 14 to 16 minutes; do not overbake.
6. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

unsalted butter, cream cheese, white sugar, egg yolk, freshly grated lemon peel, lemon, flour, salt, coloring, cinnamon

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268006/lemon-cheesecake-cookies/ (may not work)