Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you love the flavor of lavender or rose in baked goods, you’ll love the herbaceous flavor that roasted Meyer lemons adds to these sweet cookies.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Rest time: 2 hours

Cook time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil 1 tablespoon honey

2 Meyer lemons 2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon extract

yellow gel food coloring, if desired

powdered sugar and sugar for rolling

Directions

Zest lemons, set zest aside. Cut lemons in half, removing all the seeds.

In a skillet, heat olive oil and honey until bubbling. Place lemons face down in skillet and roast for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, scraping down the bowl after each one. Squeeze roasted Meyer lemons into the mixture. Add the lemon juice, zest, and food coloring, mixing just until blended.

With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours. This prevents the dough from being too sticky when rolling.

When ready to bake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar into a bowl or plate, and 1/2 to 1 cup sugar into a separate bowl or plate. Using a 1-3/4 inch size cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls. First roll in sugar, then powdered sugar. (This allows “cracks” in powdered sugar to show after baking.) Place on baking sheet, leaving room for spreading.

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.

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