Lemony Semolina Cookies Recipes

LEMON SEMOLINA COOKIES

Steps:

• Using a grater, grate lemon peels, removing only the yellow part.
• Place the grated peel in a mixing bowl.
• Squeeze the lemon juice and set aside in a small bowl.
• Combine the butter, vanilla, sugar and salt in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, if you have one, and beat together at medium speed until creamy.
• Add the egg, ½ cup lemon juice and grated rind and beat until incorporated.
• Reserve any extra lemon juice for another use.
• Decrease speed to slow and add the semolina and then the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Turn the dough onto a marble or wooden work surface and divide it into 2 balls.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
• When chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll each ball into a log 2-inches in diameter.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Working on a marble or wooden surface, unwrap the dough log and cut into rounds about ½-inch thick.
• Sprinkle each round with a little sugar and lightly flatten the rounds with a rolling pin.
• Place the rounds on an unbuttered cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Bake the cookies on the middle rack of an oven for about 10 minutes, or until the surface starts to crack slightly.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• The cookies will harden as they cool.

LEMON-WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk the olive oil, whole egg, egg yolk, limoncello, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl. Add to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick logs; arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake in batches until golden around the edges, about 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water); stir until the chocolate melts. Drizzle the cookies with the melted white chocolate and sprinkle with the pistachios. Let set at room temperature, about 15 minutes.

MOROCCAN SEMOLINA AND ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks to divide the oven into thirds, and heat it to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together semolina, almond flour, baking powder and salt.
• Put sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer. Finely grate lemon zest over sugar, then rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add eggs and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. With mixer running, pour oil down side of the bowl and beat for another 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and orange blossom water, if using. Turn off mixer, add half the dry ingredients and mix them in on low speed, then add the rest, mixing only until dry ingredients disappear into the dough, which will be thick.
• Sift some confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. For each cookie, spoon out a level tablespoon of dough, roll it between your palms to form a ball and dredge in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets, then use your thumb to push down the center of each cookie, pressing firmly enough to make an indentation and to cause the edges to crack.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back after 8 minutes, or until cookies are ever so lightly colored: They will be golden on the bottom, puffed, dramatically cracked and just firm to the touch. Carefully lift the cookies off sheets and onto racks. Cookies will keep for about 4 days in a covered container at room temperature.

LEMONIA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dissolve the ammonia in the milk, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the lard and sugar until smooth. Mix in the lemon oil, eggs, and salt. Stir in the milk alternately with the flour to form a soft but manageable dough. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Place 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

SEMOLINA-LEMON SYRUP CAKES

Steps:

• Make the cakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk almond flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With motor running, gradually add eggs and beat until glossy, about 1 minute. Add dry ingredients and lemon juice and beat to combine, about 1 minute.
• Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until cakes are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-35 minutes.
• Make the syrup:
• Make the syrup while the cakes are baking. Bring lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• As soon as cakes come out of the oven, brush or spoon syrup liberally over top (you may not need all of it). Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cakes cool completely before turning out.
• Do Ahead
• Cakes can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

LEMON COOKIES FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Cream sugar, butter, and lemon zest together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Combine eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a cup; mix using a fork until combined. Beat into egg mixture slowly on low speed.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add to egg mixture slowly on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat; dough will be sticky. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; it will still be sticky after chilling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Form dough into balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon and roll each in powdered sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Lightly smash each ball down using your hand.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the middle of each cookie is just barely set, 11 to 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack completely before storing in an airtight container.