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1
Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl to blend well.
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2
Using electric mixer, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy.
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3
Beat in milk, lemon peel, and vanilla extract.
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4
Add flour mixture and beat until blended.
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5
Gather dough into ball; divide in half.
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6
Flatten into disks.
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7
Wrap in plastic and chill at least 2 hours.
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8
(Can be made 2 days ahead.
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9
Keep chilled.
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10
Let soften slightly before rolling out.)
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11
Roll out each dough disk between sheets of waxed paper to 14x11-inch rectangle, occasionally lifting waxed paper to smooth out wrinkles.
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12
Refrigerate dough on baking sheets, still between sheets of waxed paper, until cold and firm, about 30 minutes.
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13
Place 1 dough piece on work surface.
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14
Peel off top sheet of waxed paper.
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15
Press same waxed paper gently back onto dough.
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16
Turn dough over (still between waxed paper sheets).
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17
Peel off top sheet of waxed paper and discard.
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18
Using 2 1/4-inch scalloped round cutter and with dough still on waxed paper bottom, cut out cookies.
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19
Using 1- to 1 1/4-inch scalloped round cutter, cut out center from half of cookies.
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20
Gather dough centers and excess dough around cutouts; shape excess dough into disk and chill.
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21
Slide waxed paper with cutouts onto baking sheet and chill.
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22
Repeat with remaining dough disk, cutting out rounds, cutting centers from half of rounds to make top rings, and gathering and chilling excess dough.
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23
Roll out excess dough between sheets of waxed paper, making more cookie bottoms and top rings.
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24
Repeat rolling and cutting until all of dough is used.
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25
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F.
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26
Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray.
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27
Using metal spatula to lift cutouts from waxed paper, transfer cookie bottoms to 1 prepared sheet and top rings to second sheet, spacing slightly apart (cookies spread very little).
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28
Sprinkle some top rings with colored sugar crystals (or leave plain to decorate later).
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29
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until pale golden, about 8 minutes.
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30
Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes.
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31
Transfer cookies to racks; cool completely.
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32
Arrange cookie bottoms on work surface.
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33
Spread each with 1 teaspoon preserves.
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34
Sift powdered sugar over plain cookie rings or decorate with icing and sugar crystals or edible glitter as desired.
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35
Press 1 top ring onto each prepared cookie bottom.
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36
(Cookies can be made 3 days ahead.
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37
Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator.)
