Peaches and Cream Cookies

Recipe comes courtesy of The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book by Camilla V. Saulsbury

Cookie Ingredients:
1 (18.25-ounce) package vanilla cake mix (I used a 16.5 pkg of white cake)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup peach preserves (I didn’t have peach; I had Peach-Mango-Orange preserves)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 large egg
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (Ingredients below)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (I didn’t sift…no biggie)

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Position oven rack in upper third of the oven. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place half of the cake mix in a large mixing bowl along with the oil, preserves, lemon zest, and egg. blend with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. stir in the remaining cake mix with a wooden spoon until all dry ingredients are moistened.
3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until set at edges and just golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets. Transfer to wire racks with metal spatula and cool completely. Frost cookies.

Frosting Directions:

1. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until incorporated and smooth.