Hot late-summer days make me crave the sunny, fresh flavor of lemons. Whether it’s a refreshing glass of homemade lemonade, lemony grilled chicken, or a slice of lemon pie, this bright-yellow citrus fruit and summertime go perfectly together.
While I don’t bake as much in the summer as the rest of the year, neighborhood gatherings and a much-anticipated visit to Colorado by our grandchildren are all the inspiration I need to bake a batch of cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are always popular and well received, but let’s face it — kids and adults of all ages love anything with frosting and sprinkles. So, I grabbed a large lemon from the fridge, gathered everything I needed from the pantry, added butter and an egg, and the result was Lemon Almond Cookies garnished with a swirl of buttercream frosting and yellow sprinkles.
The beauty of these lemon cookies is their versatility. The amount of lemon zest and juice is easily adjusted depending on how much lemon flavor you prefer, and they are equally delicious with or without the frosting. If desired, simply sprinkle a little granulated sugar on the cookies while they’re still warm from the oven, or garnish the frosting with fresh lemon zest instead of yellow sprinkles. And best of all — these fabulous cookies are gluten free so everyone can enjoy them.
As summer comes to an end and busy fall schedules resume, Lemon Almond Cookies are ideal for lunchboxes, committee meetings, coffee with friends, afternoon tea, and countless other occasions. They’re quick and easy to make, stay fresh for days when stored in an airtight container, and maintain their soft, chewy texture.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. It’s still summer! The kids will love these lemony cookies when they take a break from the pool while you settle into your favorite deck chair with a cool beverage and enjoy a cookie or two as well. Have a great rest of the summer!
Christy Rost is a cookbook author, host of Celebrating Home cooking videos, and longtime resident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Her ‘At Home with Christy Rost’ cooking series for Eat This TV Network airs on AmazonFire, AppleTV+, Roku, Samsung TV, and YouTube. Please visit christyrost.com for details and recipes.
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