Description
Delicious Italian Lemon Cookies made with olive oil and fresh lemon zest, filled with tangy lemon curd, and dipped in a fragrant lemon basil syrup. These soft, flavorful cookies are shaped like lemons and feature a perfect balance of zesty citrus, herbaceous basil, and earthy olive oil. Ideal as a unique lemon-themed dessert for celebrations or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 lemons (zested)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup olive oil (extra virgin for more flavor or light for less flavor)
- 3 tablespoons milk (whole milk or milk of your choice)
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Lemon Basil Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 5 sprigs fresh basil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 lemons (juiced)
- ¼ cup limoncello (optional)
- yellow food coloring (as needed)
- green food coloring (as needed)
Filling and Decoration
- 1 cup lemon curd
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating the cookies)
- 12 fresh basil leaves (for the lemon "leaves")
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and lemon zest until fragrant. Add the eggs and whisk until combined. Slowly incorporate the olive oil and milk followed by the vanilla extract, mixing well.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up for shaping.
- Make Lemon Basil Syrup: In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, basil sprigs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and limoncello if using. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove basil sprigs and stir in yellow and green food coloring to desired shades. Set aside to cool.
- Shape the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the dough into small lemon shapes and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie for the lemon curd filling.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Fill and Coat: Spoon lemon curd into each cookie indentation. Dip each cookie into the cooled lemon basil syrup, then roll in granulated sugar for a sparkling finish.
- Decorate: Attach a fresh basil leaf to the top of each cookie to mimic a lemon leaf for a charming presentation.
Notes
- Use extra virgin olive oil for a more pronounced olive flavor, or light olive oil for a milder taste.
- The lemon basil syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week and reused to refresh the cookies' flavor.
- Allow the dough to chill well before shaping to make handling easier.
- Limoncello is optional but adds a nice authentic Italian touch to the syrup.
- Make sure eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation.
- Adjust food coloring carefully to get realistic lemon and leaf colors.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 465 kcal
- Sugar: 56 g
- Sodium: 192 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.04 g
- Carbohydrates: 83 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg
