Description
Delightfully tangy and sweet, these Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Strawberry Frosting combine zesty lemon-flavored cookies sandwiched together with a luscious, homemade strawberry frosting. The cookies are soft and fluffy with vibrant lemon zest, while the strawberry frosting offers a fresh, fruity contrast, making them perfect for springtime gatherings or anytime you crave a refreshing treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Lemon Cookies:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (219g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (112g), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
For the Strawberry Frosting:
- 8 oz strawberries (226g), cored
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (168g), slightly softened
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together until fluffy and light, bringing out the lemon aroma.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Shape Cookies: Form the dough into balls about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons each and place them spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the tops are just set but not browned. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare Strawberry Puree: Puree the cored strawberries using a blender or food processor, then strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds for a smooth frosting base.
- Reduce Strawberry Puree: Pour the puree into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens to a jam-like consistency. Let it cool completely.
- Make Frosting Base: Beat the softened butter in a bowl until creamy and smooth. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and the salt, mixing well to combine.
- Add Strawberry Reduction: Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry reduction into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Adjust Frosting: Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar along with more strawberry puree and heavy cream if necessary, to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Assemble Cookies: Once cookies have completely cooled, spread a generous amount of strawberry frosting on the bottom of one cookie, then sandwich with another cookie on top. Press gently to secure.
- Repeat: Continue assembling all cookies in the same fashion, then serve or store in an airtight container.
Notes
- You can substitute lemon extract with additional lemon zest if unavailable.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- The frosting thickness can be adjusted with more powdered sugar or heavy cream to your preference.
- Store sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- For a seedless frosting, ensure thorough straining of the strawberry puree.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
