I wish I could adequately describe the soft, delicate and amazing flavor of these Almond Lemon Cake Cookies. The original recipe comes from The Perfect Cookie by America's Test Kitchen, which is an awesome cookbook! But with a few tweaks, this recipe became an almond-y, lemon-y delight!
Using a food processor to mix cookie dough
This recipe calls for using a food processor (linked to the highest rated one on Amazon) to combine ingredients and make your cookie dough. This is an inspired way to save time and mess in the kitchen. Which ultimately means more cookies in your life, right? It works particularly well with this kind of recipe, since there are no chunky add-ins so the dough is created by using cold butter to create a "sand" with your dry ingredients. This creates a really soft, almost cake-like, final texture.
How to make perfectly soft Almond Lemon Cake Cookies
Making these cookies is seriously simple. Let's get started!
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
Next, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor. You can use a Gluten Free substitute, like King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure. See here why I choose this as my favorite GF flour blend.
Add the chilled butter and shortening (or chilled coconut shortening for a healthier option) and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. This crumb gives each bite the perfect mixture of butter while giving the cookie more shape and texture.
***If your food processor is large enough, you can continue to use it to mix in the wet ingredients. If not, pour the wet sand into a large bowl and continue by mixing by hand with a wooden spoon.
To the wet sand, add eggs, 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla and lemon zest. Combine, either in the food processor or by hand, until a dough forms.
Using a small cookie scoop, portion the Almond Lemon Cake Cookie dough and roll into smooth balls and place on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Since these don't spread out, you can cook a lot of cookies at a time.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until just lightly golden brown and slightly cracked. Remove from baking sheet and cool on cooling rack.
While cookies are baking, make the delicious glaze! In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and almond extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Once cookies are completely cooled, dip upside down into the glaze and turn over to set. Enjoy! Everyone loves these cookies! Scouts honor.
Sweet almond and lemon flavor combo is magic!
What I love about these Almond Lemon Cake Cookies is that it gives me a different flavor to mix it up. I like to take a break from my chocolate chips and heavy flavors and go for something light and refreshing. While chocolate will always be closest to my heart, these cookies are so simple to whip up and have a really unique flavor combination that sings of warm Spring days.
My favorite no-fail baking essentials!
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer - the best hands-off baking buddy ever
- All Clad Measuring Cups and Spoons - these will last you FOREVER
- Nordic Ware Cookie Sheets - I use these along with the Gold Touch baking sheet from Williams Sonoma.
- Reynolds Pre-Cut Parchment Paper - These are my go-to for quick clean-up.
- OXO Cookie Scoop - This is VITAL to getting that gooey center and crisp edge.
Almond Lemon Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cubed
- 4 Tablespoons shortening or chilled coconut shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoon almond extract divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Topping
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice from a fresh squeezed lemon
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Almond Cake Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper
- In a food processor combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add in chilled butter and shortening, and pulse until it has a wet sand appearance (about 10 pulses).
- If your processor is large enough continue to use it, but if not, pour wet sand into a large bowl and continue with recipe using a wooden spoon to mix.
- Add eggs, 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- Combine until dough is formed.
- Scoop with a small cookie scoop (1 Tbsp) and roll into 1 inch balls. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown and slightly cracked.
- Allow cookies to cool completely and then dip upside down in glaze and turn over to set.
Simple Glaze
- Combine ¼ teaspoon almond extract, lemon juice, and powdered sugar and whisk until combined and smooth and creamy.
Renee Snyder
Can I use 8 tbs butter instead of 4 tbs butter and 4 tbs shortening?
Amy
That should work fine!
Wendy
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
These are amazing! So soft, and fluffy. Sweet but not too sweet and glaze has a nice tartness! Thank you!
Wendy
These are amazing! So soft, and fluffy. Sweet but not too sweet and glaze has a nice tartness! Thank you!
Judi Hammer
Just made these and they are easy and, most important, delicious.
Amy
So glad you enjoyed them!