Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Many of you know about the famous Meyer Lemon Trees at my in-law’s place.  There are many recipes that I've created, both savory and sweet, using the Meyer lemons that are harvested by myself.  Such as the Meyer Lemon Curd with Vanilla Sugar, the Meyer Lemon Cake, the Seafood Salad with Meyer Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette, and the Meyer Lemon Macarons with Limoncello Buttercream, to name a few.  I'm lucky that I can get my hands on some fresh Meyer Lemons all year round.

With the Meyer Lemon season approaching, I want to introduce you to another wonderful treat using Meyer Lemons.  The Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies!

Next time when you see these fragrant Meyer lemons in the farmer's stands or supermarkets,  be sure to take a few home to try this recipe out.  This would certainly be another good cookie recipe for the Holidays and/or gift-giving.



These Meyer Lemon Sandwich cookies are one of my favorite sweet treats featuring these lovely Meyer Lemons.  The cookies had a nice crunch and crumbly texture, with just the right amount of sweetness and buttery flavors.  The almond meal in these cookies adds a new depth of taste with its nutty flavor.  The Meyer Lemon Buttercream in between the two cookies is silky and smooth, while packed with sweet and tangy Meyer Lemon flavor.  You can serve these at room temperature and the buttercream would ooze out when you bite into one.  I love them chilled so the cool and smooth buttercream will melt in my mouth slowly and allow me to savor them a little bit longer.  Either way, you're going to love this special treat.

Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies: Printable Recipe

Makes: 40 (1 3/4-inch) sandwich cookies

Ingredients for the cookies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces of almond meal
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Zests of 2 Lemons

Ingredients for the Lemon Buttercream:
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Zest and juice of 1 Meyer Lemon

To make the cookies:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the almond meal with the salt, baking powder and flour until well combined.  With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients slowly to the mixing bowl and beat until ingredients are incorporated.

Pat the dough into 4 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. On a slightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 1 3/4-inch round cutter and stamp out cookies as close together as possible. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies about 10 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheet.  Refrigerate the scraps until chilled, then reroll, stamp out more cookies and bake.

To make the Lemon Buttercream:


Put the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the meringue on medium speed until it cools and forms a thick shiny meringue, about 5 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.  Taste for acidity, add more lemon juice if desired.

To Assemble:
Top half of the cookies with a rounded teaspoon of the Lemon Buttercream, place another cookie on top of the buttercream and refrigerate until the buttercream is set, about 15 minutes.  Keep sandwiched cookies in refrigerator.  Leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.