Meyer Lemon Cookies

My neighbors have a Meyer lemon tree that produced hundreds of lemons a couple of years ago.  I think I zested and juiced about 175 lemons that year!

I also developed several fun recipes as a result.  I still have a little more juice and zest in my freezer from last year’s harvest.  My neighbors just called and told me that the lemons from this year’s crop are now ready- yay!  It’s not a big harvest like it was that one year, but I am grateful to get any Meyers lemons that I can!

If you have not had Meyers lemons before, they are a cross between lemon and orange.  Their juice and skin are much milder and less tart than a traditional lemon.  If you can find the fruit in a grocery store, the price per pound seems expensive but if you break that down to a per fruit price it isn’t that bad.

This cookie recipe (and any of my other Meyer lemon recipes) will work fine with “regular” lemons.  You will want to use less rind and juice from a regular lemon because it is so much more acidic.  You will probably also want to add more sugar- you will need to taste and see.

You can also make this recipe using “regular” flour if you do not have an issue with gluten.

These cookies are thin and very lemony tasting.  If you use the dough immediately after you make it, the cookies will be thin and chewy.  If you refrigerate the dough for 1- 1/2 to 2 hours, the cookies will be a little thicker and more crunchy like a “regular” cookie.  Don’t refrigerate this dough more than a couple of hours because it will dry out and change so that is not as nice.

If you love Meyer Lemons, I posted a recipe for Meyer Lemon Pancakes.

I also have a Meyer Lemon Mousse recipe that I will be posting.

I also make an incredible Lemon Meringue Pie, but I want to work on my crust a little more and make it prettier.

Other lemon recipes that I am thinking about are Lemon Pudding Cake (I just need to make my recipe one more time to make sure it is perfect), Lemon Tea Bread, Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookie. 

You would never guess that I love lemon would you?

If your local store does not carry Meyer lemons, a wonderful online source for Organic Meyer lemons is Birch-Hill Organics in California.  They were nice enough to donate a box of their Meyer lemons for my giveaway that just ended January 31st.  The smallest box that they sell is 7 pounds of lemons for $45, but that includes shipping.  The Meyer lemons that I just worked with here in Arizona averaged about 5 per pound, so if the lemons from Birch-Hill are the same size you will get about 35 lemons.  If that is more than you can use (you can always freeze the zest and juice like I do), you could go in with a friend or two on a box.  You will love them when you try them!

I shared this recipe with Homemaker Monday at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven, Tuesdays At The Table at All Of The Small Stuff, Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades Of Green, Hearth And Soul Hop at A Moderate Life, Tasty Tuesday at Who Is Laura, Gluten Free Wednesdays at The Gluten Free Homemaker, Real Food Wednesday at Kelly The Kitchen Kop, Real Food Weekly at The Whole Gang, Full Plate Thursdays at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, Frugal Food Thursday at Frugal Follies, Sweets For A Saturday at Sweet As Sugar Cookies, Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home.