Description
These Italian Lemon Cookies are soft, olive oil-based lemon cookies filled with tangy gooey lemon curd, then dipped in a lemon basil syrup. The herbal basil, zesty lemon, and earthy olive oil flavors create a unique and delightful cookie reminiscent of Italian peach wedding cookies, shaped like lemons. Perfect as a lemon-themed dessert for any celebration.
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
- ¼ cup limoncello (optional)
- Yellow food coloring (as needed)
- Green food coloring (as needed)
Filling and Coating
- 1 cup lemon curd
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating the cookies)
- 12 fresh basil leaves (for the lemon "leaves")
Instructions
- Prepare the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, olive oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well until smooth and well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Shape cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Shape the dough into small lemon-shaped cookies about the size of a small lime. Place them spaced on a lined baking sheet. Optionally, make a small indentation in the center for filling.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the shaped cookies in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the lemon basil syrup: In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, lemon juice from the 2 lemons, lemon zest, and fresh basil sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out solids, add vanilla extract and optional limoncello. Stir in yellow and green food coloring as desired to get a lemony look.
- Dip the cookies: Once cookies have cooled, dip each cookie in the lemon basil syrup to coat them thoroughly. Let them absorb the syrup slightly before proceeding to fill.
- Fill the cookies: Using a piping bag or spoon, fill the cookies’ indented centers with lemon curd to create a tangy, gooey center.
- Coat with sugar and garnish: Roll the edges of the cookies lightly in granulated sugar for a sparkling finish. Garnish each cookie with a fresh basil leaf positioned like a lemon leaf to complete the presentation.
- Serve and enjoy: Allow the cookies to set for a few minutes so syrup and filling stabilize. Serve these visually striking, flavorful lemon cookies at your next gathering or celebration.
Notes
- Use extra virgin olive oil for a more pronounced olive flavor or light olive oil for a milder taste.
- Lemon zest is key for intense citrus flavor—be sure to zest only the yellow part to avoid bitterness.
- Room temperature eggs ensure better mixing and cookie texture.
- The syrup can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- For a non-alcoholic version, omit limoncello without altering the syrup flavor significantly.
- Shaping the cookies into lemon shapes adds to the visual appeal but regular round or drop cookies work well too.
- Storing the cookies in an airtight container helps maintain freshness for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- 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
