Lemon Chocolate Cookies

A few years ago I went to Italy and ended up getting gelato every day! I often got one scoop of chocolate with one scoop of lemon on top. This is one of my favorite combinations of flavors so I wanted to make a chocolate cookie with a candied lemon slice on top. You can either buy candied lemon slices, although they may be hard to find when it's not the holiday season, or you can make your own! First, slice the lemon into 1/8 inch slivers. 

Try to make these slices as even as possible. To help, you can use two wooden scewers and place them on either side of a halved lemon. Use this to help you make uniform slices. Next, blanch the lemon slices in boiling water for 5 minutes. This helps remove some of the bitterness of the lemon rinds before candying the lemons. 

Dump out the water and take out the lemons. Dissolve the sugar in the water then replace the lemons. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. When they're done, remove the lemon slices and let them dry on a wire rack for a few hours. 

Now it's time for the cookies. Mix together all the ingredients and the dough will look like this.

Ball the dough and bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and place one lemon slice on each cookie. Replace in the oven and it'll look something like this. 

Bake for 3 more minutes and the cookies will look like this.

Let them cool for 3 minutes and move to a wire rack. 

These cookies are rich with a strong lemon flavor and would be great around the holidays. 

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Recipe

Makes: 20 cookies                    Time: 40 minutes 

Ingredients

Candied lemon slices:

• 2-3 lemons

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 1/4 cups water

Chocolate Cookies:

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• 1 large egg

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp flour

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• Zest of 1 lemon (around 2 tbsp)

Directions

Candied lemon slices: 

1. ​​Cut lemons into 1/8 inch thick slices

2. Blanch lemons in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain water. This removes the bitterness of the lemon rind

3. In the same pot, dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a boil, add in the blanched lemon slices and return to boil.

4. Let simmer for 1 hour or until the lemons are soft and sweet.

5. Remove the lemons and place on a wire rack to let the lemons dry for at least 2 hours. 

6. If you want to save these for later, coat the lemon slices in sugar and let dry for another 2 hours.

Chocolate cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 

2. Beat the butter, sugars, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla until well combined.

3. Beat in the egg and milk until smooth, then add the flour. Mix in the lemon zest and the chocolate chips.

4. Use a tablespoon ice cream scopp to ball the cookie dough. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on parchment paper or on a silpat.

5. Bake for 7 minutes, remove from oven and add 1 candied lemon slice to each cookie. Bake for 3 more minutes.