Makes creamy lemon-filled bite-size gems, sure to please cookie lovers. You can also fill tarts with jam or fresh fruit. Lemon tartlets may be topped with an icing flower (swirled drop flower with icing). Garnish lemon tartlets with a sliver of lemon peel.

1 recipe sugar cookie dough
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. fresh lemon juice
7 lg. eggs
1 tsp. grated lemon rind

CRUST: Prepare sugar cookie dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface, no more than 1/8 inch thick. Cut out dough with 2 1/2 inch round cutter. Gently press circles in mini-muffin pans.

FILLING: Combine sugar, butter and lemon juice in large saucepan (porcelain or stainless steel works best). Heat over medium heat; stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Beat eggs at low speed in large bowl. Continue beating; slowly add half of the hot lemon mixture. Mix only until blended. Stir egg mixture into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture thickens to consistency of warm pudding, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon rind. Pour filling into bowl; cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon cooled lemon filling (a scant tablespoon) into cookie-lined mini-muffins. Bake until crust is light brown, approximately 15 minutes. Cool tartlets in pan 5 minutes; release. Cool to room temperature.

Yield: About 5 dozen tartlets.