I completely agree that lemon desserts have their moment.
Breaking up with the love of your life? Not the time for lemon. Definitely not appropriate.
Rear-ending someone on the freeway because you were texting while driving? Absolutely not the time. And please stop that. Seriously.
Wiped your iPhone while attempting an update? That calls for cheesecake — not lemon cheesecake.
Dreamed about eating leftover pizza for lunch only to discover your partner ate it as a midnight snack? Reach for candy or a quesadilla to soothe the sting. Also, waking him with a playful pinch of the nose is optional — just kidding. Mostly.
Minor disasters — blowing an interview, leaving a favorite stiletto in a hotel room across the country, losing an earring, or stubbing your toe — are chocolate territory. Think rich chocolate with peanut butter, an Oreo crust, whipped cream, and Heath bar pieces. Those moments demand over-the-top comfort, not bright citrus.
But apparently, returning from a weekend of indulgent desserts followed by two birthdays later, I craved lemon. Even when I didn’t really need dessert, lemon was the only thing that sounded right. And no, I’m not pregnant.
Psssst. Janetha gave me this ingredient — I used it and loved it.
Psssst. I love her.
Lemon desserts don’t deliver the kind of emotional rescue that heavy chocolate does. They’re lighter, fresher, and more restrained. If every dessert were lemon, I’d probably cry — then buy skinny jeans because stopping after one slice would be easy.
This photo makes it look like I stopped after just one bite, right?
I know.
I need to be in the mood for something lemony. Limes are another story — I’m always in the mood for margaritas — but lemon stands on its own. It’s refreshing and light, a pleasant counterpoint to the heavy chocolate that often finds its way into my cookies, brownies, pies, and every dessert that comes from my kitchen.
I can’t help it. I really love these lemon treats.
Chewy Lemon Cookies
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
-
In a large bowl, combine the cooled, melted butter and sugar, whisking until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk and mix to combine. Whisk in the vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir in the dry ingredients until a dough forms; use your hands if needed.
-
Using an ice cream scoop, portion the dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place them on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, or until the centers are just set and the edges are slightly golden.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on Instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
Now somebody give me a Snickers.