Raspberry Lemonade Cookies {Subway Copycat}

image credit bake-eat-repeat.com

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 1-2 lemons)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon flavouring
1 large egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup raspberry Real Fruit Gummies (or other raspberry flavoured gummy candy, cut up into small pieces)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
coarse purple sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
In a food processor, mix the sugar and lemon zest until well combined, and the sugar is lightly yellow and fragrant.
Add the butter and cream cheese and process until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla, lemon flavouring, egg, and lemon juice and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Mix in the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined.
Stir in the white chocolate chips and the raspberry gummy candy pieces.
The raspberry candy pieces tend to stick together so I find it’s easiest to add them as you cut them up, pausing to stir them in once or twice so that they don’t all stick together.
Drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, in 1 1/2 tablespoon sized balls (I like to use a cookie scoop for this).
The candies melt in the oven so it’s best to make sure none are on the bottom of your cookies before baking. Simply pull off any candies on the bottoms/lower sides of the cookie balls and stick them on the tops.
Sprinkle the cookies with coarse purple sugar.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until they are just starting to brown on the edges.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.