When Life Hands You Lemons … Make Scrumptious Cookies

It can be difficult to find snacks to make for our kiddos who are on special diets. I haven’t had the urge to bake in awhile, but Trader Joe’s was all out of Christopher’s beloved dried mangoes (one of the clerks there told us that our local TJ’s sells the most mangoes of any location and I have no doubt we are responsible for this – they call my husband “Mango Guy”) and our backup kale chips have cashews so they can’t be sent it to his nut-free school. Luckily these scrumptious lemon cookies are not only easy to make, they are pretty difficult to screw up. They tasted good on the first try! As you know, I’m not a cook (baker) by nature, so if it easy for me it should be a piece of cake for someone with any kitchen skills whatsoever. Enjoy!

This recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and corn-free, and Paleo and GAPS-legal (except for the optional baking soda). I made about 2 dozen cookies, but the amount will depend on your size preference.

Grain-Free Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (Eliminate if very sensitive. Baking powder is not PALEO and GAPS legal, but I use this brand, which is made from potato starch and not corn starch – and it’s only 1/2 tsp.)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (this brand comes in a BPA-free can)
• 1 egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon (strain out any stray seeds)
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 TBS (gluten-free) vanilla extract
• 2 drops of Lemon oil (use only food-grade essential oil!!!! – get some here) or 1 TBS lemon extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine the dry ingredients (coconut flour, coconut flakes, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt) in a small bowl.
3. Combine the wet ingredients (coconut milk, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, vanilla, and lemon oil) in a large mixing bowl.
4. Mix the wet ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth.
5. Gradually stir in dry mixture and continue mixing until well combined.
6. Line cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
7. Make balls of dough and place on parchment.
8. Flatten with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
9. Bake for 10-15 minutes (mine baked for 12 minutes), until the edges brown slightly.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool about 5 minutes.
11. Enjoy these light and fluffy cookies!