Lemon Cookies without butter: a taste of summer in every bite 🍋
After a splendid vacation on the Amalfi Coast — and especially in the beautiful Sorrento — I couldn’t resist: I brought home a crate of fragrant, organic lemons, picked directly from the sea view trees.
Once back home, those lemons found a place in every corner of my kitchen. I used them everywhere: in the lemon pesto to dress pasta or to spread on bruschettas, in a refreshing homemade lemon sorbet, even in a cold tuna and lemon frittata. In short, sweet or savory, every dish had that citrus touch reminiscent of summer.
But the real revelation was these lemon cookies without butter (made with extra virgin olive oil): simple, light, irresistibly fragrant, with a delicately crunchy crust. At home, they disappeared in an instant!
If you love fresh, genuine flavors, you can’t miss trying them: they’ll win you over at the first bite.
See you in the next recipe!!!
TRY ALSO:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 30 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 395.81 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 63.41 (g) of which sugars 33.81 (g)
- Proteins 6.97 (g)
- Fat 14.11 (g) of which saturated 2.05 (g)of which unsaturated 0.91 (g)
- Fibers 1.66 (g)
- Sodium 393.02 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients: lemon cookies without butter
Ingredients for 30 cookies.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg (whole)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or cane sugar)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon (unwaxed)
- 1 pinch salt
- Half teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 lemon (unwaxed)
Tools: lemon cookies without butter
- Bowl
- Baking Tray
Recipe: lemon cookies without butter
Fresh, citrusy, crumbly
In a bowl, beat the egg, yolk, sugar, and a pinch of salt until creamy. Add the extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
Add the grated zest and juice of an unwaxed lemon.
Incorporate the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and half a teaspoon of baking soda (or half a packet of baking powder). Mix until you get a soft but not sticky dough, knead quickly with your hands if needed.
Form a dough ball, cover it with transparent food wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, this will make it easier to work with and the cookies will hold their shape better.
After the resting time, take the dough and form balls of about 0.6 oz each.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the cookies spaced apart.
Bake in a preheated traditional oven at 338°F for about 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges: they should remain light and crumbly, not too dry.
Remove from the oven, let them cool and transfer the cookies onto a wire rack.
Mix the sifted powdered sugar by diluting it with the juice of a lemon until you get a fluid mixture.
Glaze the cookies by pouring a teaspoon of glaze on each and sprinkle them with the grated lemon zest for an extra touch, then let them dry.
These lemon cookies without butter demonstrate that even with a few ingredients, you can create special pastries. They have a crumbly and delicate texture, an enveloping fragrance, and a fresh taste that makes them perfect for any time of day: from breakfast to snack time, or with an afternoon tea. Each bite is a small journey through the scents of the Coast.
Storage and Tips
Storage: lemon cookies without butter keep well in an airtight container, preferably tin or glass, for about 5-7 days at room temperature.
Tips: use a good, delicate extra virgin olive oil, choose an oil with a light and non-bitter taste, so it doesn’t overshadow the lemon aroma. Grate only the yellow part of an absolutely organic lemon’s peel: that’s where all the fragrance is! Avoid the white part, which is bitter.
FAQ
Can I use another type of oil instead of extra virgin olive oil?
Yes, you can use a light seed oil (like sunflower or corn) if you prefer a more neutral taste.
What can I substitute granulated sugar with?
You can easily use cane sugar.
What type of lemon is best to use?
Better to use organic, unwaxed lemons, as you’ll also use the zest. Sorrento lemons are particularly fragrant.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?
Yes! Use double the amount: in our case, the recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (0.14 oz), use 1 teaspoon of baking powder (0.28 oz).
