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Where in the World is Bakingdom? Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread {Updated}

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This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for participating!

Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread | ©Bakingdom

*Cue cheesy game show intro music*

Welcome, welcome ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready for another rousing rendition of “Where in the World is Bakingdom?”

Last time, “Where in the World” was a little inaccurate, because it was actually “Where in the U.S.“, but this time, you actually do have the entire world to choose from!

I know…that actually makes it harder, doesn’t it?

Well, don’t fret, because those cookies up there? Those are your very first clue. They’re a very subtle clue, at that. Very subtle.

Hmmmm…should I give you more clues today? Or leave it mysterious? I mean, you’re getting two more clues over the next two days… And you get to enter each day…

Alright. Here’s how this is gonna work:

Today is the first clue. There will be two other clues/giveaways throughout this week. There is something about this recipe that hints as to where the U.S. Coast Guard is moving us to next. It’s one of the ingredients, actually, and if you know which one, then you probably have a pretty good shot at guessing where we’re headed.

If you think you know, then leave a comment below. Here’s the thing, though… You don’t have to get it right. 🙂 Just make a guess, leave a comment, and you’re entered to win. 🙂 Check out all of the details below.

But first, and I’m serious here, go make these cookies, because ohmigosh they are stupid good.

Lemon Glazed Poppy Seed Shortbread | ©BakingdomThey’re not fancy, or elaborate…they’re quite humble, but they are delicious.

The cookies themselves are fantastic, but then you add the lemony glaze, and magic happens.

Lemon Glazed Lemon Poppy Shortbread | ©BakingdomThese would be the perfect little cookie to pack up and take along on a little picnic or a day of…oh, I don’t know…sightseeing? Or flower ogling…

(In case you didn’t catch that, that was another subtle hint there…)

Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies | ©BakingdomYou can whip these up in only 5 minutes, and they’re baked and iced in under an hour. They’re perfect for a last minute get together or tea party! Plus, they keep beautifully for up to a week, in an airtight container, so you can even keep them on hand for surprise guests.

Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread {Printable Version}
Makes about 16 to 18 cookies

**As always, if you choose to make this recipe vegan or gluten-free, double check all of your ingredients to make sure they meet the criteria.

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (or margarine for vegan/dairy free)
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 cup flour (GF for gluten free)
pinch of salt
poppy seeds

FOR THE FROSTING
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons milk (soy or almond for vegan/dairy free)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest. Add the flour and salt, and continue beating until everything is fully incorporated and the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Scoop level one tablespoon portions of dough, and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 1/2-inches apart. Using your thumb, a spoon, a fork, or decorative press, press down gently on each cookie until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle each cookie with 1/4 teaspoon or so of poppy seeds. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before frosting or serving.

To make the frosting: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Frost cookies once they are cooled and allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes to set up.

Recipe by Darla

Loki Loves Cookies | ©BakingdomAnd the winner is…

Cookbooks Winner…comment #214!

Cookbooks RobinCongratulations, Robin! I hope you make the cookies, they were delicious! I will be contacting you shortly to get your mailing address.

Now, who wants to win a collection of creative and beautiful cookbooks?

That’s right, I have compiled a collection of some of my favorite cookbooks to share with you, including:

It€™s easy. Just take a guess at where in the world today’s recipe refers to in the comment section below. You can guess a continent, country, state, city…

That’s it! You don’t even have to get it right! Just answer, and you’re entered. But try to see if you can get it right…that’s where all the fun is! Then, if you don’t win, at least you get bragging rights. 😉

I’m sorry, this giveaway is only open to US readers. (International readers: please stay tuned for an international giveaway later this week!)

**Comments are moderated, so if you’ve never commented here before, your comment will not immediately appear.**

Contest is open until 11:59 pm, EST, Sunday, July 14, 2013. The winner will receive one collection of cookbooks, compiled by me (see list above). 🙂 The winner will be chosen randomly at www.random.org and announced here Tuesday, July 16 2013.

I will contact the winner, so don’t forget to add your email in the email section!

Good luck with the giveaway!

™¥,
Darla

If you haven€™t already, click the €˜like€™ button on my facebook page here, and follow me on twitter here.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for participating!

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Comments

  13. Scotland is my guess. I’m new to your site and am completely enjoying it! Especially the parts about your husband because I think he is similar to mine-coffee, beer, etc. 🙂

  14. Hmmm…….the first thing that popped into my head was Holland. But they are famous for tulips, not poppies. So…maybe it’s Belgium or France? Arrrggg. I’m not very good at this! France. I’m going with France. Mostly because I can totally picture you strolling along the Seine with your adorable little white dog…

  21. The first place that popped in my mind when I read you were relocating was- Germany!:-) I love your blog, your recipes, and your love for the 10th doctor:-) He’s my favorite too:-)

  24. I’m going to be crazy and say Italy. I didn’t realize the U.S. Coast Guard had an international presence. Lemons make me think of Italy, and my uncle in the Navy was stationed there. I really have no idea, though. Since it’s shortbread, I also kind of hope it’s Scotland, in which case, I’ll totally be stalking you the next time we’re in the UK. You’ve been warned. 😉 Don’t worry, I’ll only attack you with cookies.

  27. Hmm…I’m going to guess…California somewhere? TOTAL guess, btw. It’s funny that you’ve posted a Lemon Poppy recipe, as I was just telling a friend earlier that I was craving lemon poppyseed! It’s meant to be, me and these cookies.

  38. These look so good and I love poppy seeds. I’m thinking I am supposed to guess internationally but I am going to say Florida for the heck of it! 🙂

  39. The Middle East…I say, Afghanistan? Can’t wait to find out, the suspense is killing me! Oh well, at least I have everything in the pantry to make these cookies! 😉

  41. A country that is somewhat infamous recently for poppies is Afghanistan and the U.S. Coast Guard does have a presence there, but they don’t move there and take their families. Another country that is rather infamously connected to poppies is China, but once again the U.S. Coast Guard does regular visits there (I think I read it was once a month for Marine Safety inspections) but I didn’t find anything indicating they have a permanent presence . So the only other country I think of is England, thanks to my love of UK television shows like MI-5 and their series 7 opener that includes a story line with the Remembrance Day. So I will go with England. 🙂

  43. I’m going to guess and say England since you are making shortbread – plus it’s perfect place to have that afternoon tea!

  44. Heheh your recipe says, Poopy seeds! “Sprinkle each cookie with 1/4 teaspoon or so of poopy seeds. Bake for 30-35 minutes.”

    I’m gonna guess Turkey, which has the highest production of poppy seeds!

  46. Hi Darla!
    Very nice idea to have readers guessing the destination. I usually never comment on web but this game got my interest. My intuition said France but as I try to consider all possibilities, I googled a bit. My searches took me to options from Scotland to Philippines. But I will stick with France.
    Best of luck wherever you go!

  57. My first thought was Fort Meyers (as in Meyer Lemons). Then my next thought was China because of the Meyer Lemons and Poppy Seeds. Fort Meyers didn’t lead me to flower ogling, though. Hmm. Bring on the clues 🙂

  59. I like that I can guess a continent. I’m thinking Europe! I want to say England because of the significance of Poppy’s for remembrance day but I’ll be more general this time around 😉

  63. Those shortbreads look so good! Are you somewhere in Western Europe? Or maybe more specifically Northern France? Poppies make me think of Flanders Field (well, that and Wizard of Oz). But maybe the poppy seeds aren’t the hint-y ingredient.

  66. It could be anywhere in the world, but maybe that’s to throw us off track. Lemon… Poppy Seeds… Shortbread… Florida… Belgium… UK…
    I’m going to guess Grand Haven, MI. Yes, I know that doesn’t make sense. But I know a few things about that Coastie town, so that’s my guess.

  83. Turkey produces the most poppy seeds but maybe it’s the country that produces the most lemons… or Netherlands… I’m going to go with Netherlands!

  89. Flanders, Belgium:

    In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    We are the Dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:
    To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
    In Flanders fields.

  90. Eeek… I’m probably overanalyzing… But I’m going to go with poppyseeds as the clue, cuz they come from flowers, the other clue, and poppies used to be traditionally thought of as an Oriental flower… So the Orient! And I pick… Japan!! 🙂 this is REALLY fun!
    ~Aprol

  92. I’m sure packing up and moving to a new place gets tiresome but the adventure of it will make for stories you can tell for years. 🙂 I’m going to guess the South of France or somewhere in that area.

  100. My husband was active duty USCG a long time ago (1980’s) and they didn’t send us overseas, we ended up in Alaska whisch as a close as we could get at the time. If I kew what your husband’s rate was it would be easier to guess… So I guess you will be in Europe somewhere!

  110. ….I think it’s scotland xD
    these cookies look beautiful, theyre exactly the kind of treat i would make to eat with tea.

  119. Hmm I going to say England. Because well poppy seeds sounds like an English type ingredient….

  130. I’m guessing the Netherlands, likely Rotterdam! There are Dutch poppies, plus flower ogling in general makes me think of Dutch tulips. If the next recipe calls for (Dutch) cocoa…I’ll feel sure! 😉 So exciting!

  145. I’m going to guess Turkey, the leader of poppy seeds. All hail the poppy seed overlords!

    Delicious sounding recipe! Going to have to try this one for sure.

  146. Turkey? I’ve had a couple friends stationed there (Air Force) and they have loved it! Good luck where ever you go 🙂

  158. Here’s the thing, I’m literally sitting in JFK tight now on a layover for our third flight en route home from Japan. We’ve been visiting AFB Misawa for the past three weeks so I have Japan on the brain. One of the biggest festivals there is Hanami or Cherry Blossom viewing….so I say Japan. Hopefully Okinawa 🙂

  173. First of all, I am so beyond jealous that I might be turning green…Second, I am so happy that you get to travel the way you do!! I hope it is a positive and healthy move for all. On that note my guess would be somewhere in the United Kingdom!

  176. So I did a little bit of googling and I have a list: Japan, Belgium, or Germany. Googling got me Japan (apparently there are certain areas known for their flowers, plus lots of sightseeing, and specifically area which have poppy fields. Then there’s the fact that they were seriously involved in WWII, so there’s a connection there). The other two I chose from personal experience, Germany was involved in WWII and there’s ton to see there, but I see it as less likely than Belgium because Belgium has more of a coast to start with, and there are some pretty famous gardens.

  177. I’m guessing the Netherlands…and if I’m right, you will absolutely die over the gorgeousness of Keukenhof Gardens!!! We went at tulip peak 4 years ago, and it was truly awesome.

  192. Hmm… My guess would be somewhere in Europe… Denmark perhaps? Or maybe Sweden?
    Anyways, I can’t wait to try these! My aunt absolutely adores lemon so I’ll definitely have to make these for her!

  195. OK, so poppy seeds are popular in German baked goods, and there are lots of gardens there, so I will guess Germany. But mainly I hope it’s Germany because my best friend spent her first 4 years of life in Berlin. Her mom used to take the kids to Ikea, drop them off at the free daycare service, and enjoy 2 hours of peace and quiet wandering around the store. Ikea=win.

  197. I was thinking scotland but now I’m rethinking it and going where we saw beautiful sights and gardens and going with France.

  202. For some reason, England keeps popping in my mind… Maybe it’s all the Doctor Who/Harry Potter obsessions… Yup, I’m going with England.

  207. Oh dear….I’m guessing the United Kingdom, if only because my friends and I (only just last weekend!) gathered for a tea party and a 10th Doctor marathon for which I also made lemony iced shortbread (with lavender). Happy cookie-eating! Thanks for the giveaway!

  212. I’m guessing somewhere in France – somewhere with those gorgeous poppy fields. Now I’m off to see if we have poppy seeds, because these look divine. Divine!

  223. Japan…because of Hanami (cherry blossom viewing festival) and the tradition of picnics and sweet confections that goes along with it.

  227. I’m guessing Tukey because of the poppy seeds, the fact that Turkey is the highest producer of poppy seeds, and I know Turkey has military bases because my cousin and her husband have been stationed there!

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