When summer rolls around, I often rely on ice cream for dessert, but sometimes you just want something baked. However, we also get the joy of temperatures soaring above 90° F (shhh, we live in WI and don't like it hot) and the thought of an oven in use is enough to make me shudder. But since we're often given one or two cooler (even below 70° F) days, I plan ahead and make double and triple batches of cookies and pop them in the freezer for use when the thermometer looks too red.
One of my favorite summertime cookies are inspired by lemonade and incorporate the juice and zest of one lemon. Lemonade Cookies are also really easy to make because a lemon cake mix comprises the base of the dough so there's not a lot of mixing and measuring going on. That makes it a perfect recipe for summer in my book!
If you want to get a bit fancy, use a couple of these cookies in an ice cream sandwich with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with a bit more lemon zest (or even lemon sorbet!). The kids (and adults - ahem!) will love them and ask for the lemonade ice cream sandwiches again and again!
Lemonade Cookies
- 1 box lemon cake mix (with pudding in the mix)
- 2 T. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 c. vegetable oil
- Juice from one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- Grated lemon peel from one lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well to combine. The dough will be sticky. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about a half hour.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F. Once the oven is ready, remove the dough from the refrigerator and drop by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with a silicone baking mat.
Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely. Store tightly covered.
- Yields: 3 dozen cookies
- Preparation Time: About an hour