Description
These Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Strawberry Frosting combine zesty lemon-flavored cookies with a sweet, tangy strawberry frosting. Perfect for any occasion, these delicate cookie sandwiches offer a refreshing burst of citrus balanced with luscious strawberry cream, resulting in a delightful treat that’s both beautiful and delicious.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookies
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (219 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), softened but not melting
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon flavoring
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
For the Strawberry Frosting
- 8 ounces strawberries (226 grams), cored
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams), slightly softened but not melting
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (330-440 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (15 ml), if needed
Instructions
- Prepare Lemon Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest until fluffy, though the sugar granules will still be slightly visible.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla bean paste, and lemon flavoring into the butter mixture until fully incorporated and no egg pieces remain.
- Combine Dry and Wet: On low speed, gradually beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in about two additions until all flour is incorporated into a dough.
- Shape Cookies: Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons each, roughly smaller than a golf ball. If you want cookies to spread more, gently flatten the balls before baking.
- Bake Cookies: Place one cookie sheet at a time in the oven’s middle rack and bake for 9-11 minutes until the tops are just set. You should end up with about 24 cookies total (12 sandwich pairs).
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Strawberry Puree: Core the strawberries and pulse them in a food processor or blender until pureed. Press the puree through a metal sifter to remove seeds, using the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Reduce Puree: Pour the seedless puree into a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring frequently, then continue simmering until the puree thickens to a jam-like consistency and deepens in color, about 10-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely (speed up cooling by refrigerating).
- Make Frosting Base: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add Sugar and Salt: Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and salt to the butter, beginning on low mixer speed and gradually increasing to medium until well combined.
- Incorporate Strawberry Puree: Beat in 2 tablespoons of the cooled reduced strawberry puree until mixed thoroughly.
- Finish Frosting: Gradually add remaining powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in 1 more tablespoon of strawberry puree as you go. Adjust consistency by adding up to 1 tablespoon heavy cream for a thinner frosting or more sugar for thicker; beat until smooth.
- Assemble Cookie Sandwiches: Once cookies are fully cooled, spread a generous layer of strawberry frosting on the bottom of one cookie, then top with a second cookie and press gently to sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies to make 12 sandwich cookies.
Notes
- Ensure the butter for both cookies and frosting is softened but not melting to achieve proper texture.
- Flatten cookie dough balls slightly before baking if you prefer thinner, more spread-out cookies.
- Reducing the strawberry puree concentrates flavor and improves frosting texture, but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- The frosting consistency can be adjusted by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or heavy cream to thin it out.
- Cookies must be completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting and spreading of the frosting.
