Today’s guest, Sarah from Delish in a Dish, and I have something in common. We both love lemon meringue pie! Being limited on time, with a four year old and summer activities, means that I just wouldn’t have time to make one right now. Well, Sarah has solved that problem with these cookies! I can’t wait to try them, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. If you like them as much as I do and would like to see more please visit her blog Delish in a Dish. You can also find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DelishInADish or on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/delishinadish/.
Lemon Meringue Thumbprints from Delish in a Dish
I love lemons. They’re tart, bright, and zesty enough to use in a huge number of different recipes from appetizers to dinners to desserts. But there’s definitely one lemon recipe that stands out from all the rest to me, a lemon meringue pie.
The only problem with lemon meringue pies is that they take a while to make and bake, so they feel like special occasion food. So I decided the world needed something less special occasion and more everyday special. That’s how I came up with Lemon Meringue Thumbprints.
I kept everything I liked about a lemon meringue pie – the lemon curd, the meringue, and a delicious crust. And I took out all the aspects I didn’t like – the steps for baking, and the feeling of needing to present the creation before enjoying a slice. I came up with flaky shortbread cookies topped with a lemon curd and meringue that I could bake in just one step.
And the best part? If I want a taste of a cookie before dinner, I just rearrange the cookies on my serving dish and no one can tell the difference!
Lemon Meringue Thumbprints – makes 12 – 15
Shortbread ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/2 cups softened butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons milk
Lemon curd and meringue ingredients
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons butter
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make your lemon curd and allow egg white to come to room temperature, or use about a cup of purchased lemon curd. Combine egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Add lemon juice and zest and stir to combine. Place the saucepan on medium heat and stir until the mixture thickens slightly and will coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Stir butter into the curd and let cool in the fridge.
3. Make your shortbread cookie. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Pour a few drops of milk into the mixture if the dough is too dry. Set aside.
4. Make your meringue. Beat egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until they form soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat to form stiff glossy peaks, about another 5 minutes. Add corn starch and vinegar and stir to combine. Set aside.
5. Take balls of the dough and press your thumb into each one to for deep wells. Form walls on each side of the cookies to prevent the lemon curd from pouring out while the cookies bake. Fill the holes with lemon curd and dollop a scoop of the meringue on top of each as well. Place cookies on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies and the meringue brown. Let the cookies cool and enjoy!
Cindy @Hun... What's for Dinner? says
These look awesome Sarah! I’ll be trying them once the cool weather hits!