Lemon Macaroons

Photo by Angie Fracassi

For me, these delightful citrus-flavored cookies succinctly capture the taste of spring. Inspired by the arrival of this long-awaited season, and Paula Deen, one of her best-loved TV cooks making a similar sweet treat, Jenna Vavra created these ambrosial lemon macaroons for the MADD Hatter’s Tea party May 7. She called them “Queen of Hearts Lemon Tarts” for that special occasion. Macaroons are one of her mother, Diane Rieger’s, favorites. What a nice touch for the weekend of Mother’s Day! CJK

Lemon Macaroons

(Jenna Vavra)

Photo by Sharyn Resvick

2/3 cup flour

5 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon extract

Zest of 1 lemon

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coconut and salt. Open the can of sweetened condensed milk and stir in the vanilla, lemon extract and lemon zest. Pour milk mixture onto dry ingredients and mix, using your hands, until well blended. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (or aluminum foil that is greased and floured.)

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F for 14 to 18 minutes — the coconut should be toasted and the edges golden. Remove cookies immediately from the baking sheets. (Macaroons will stick if allowed to cool on the sheets.) Cool them on a wire rack. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen, depending upon size of cookies

A note from Jenna: It’s important to refrigerate the dough — it helps the cookies retain their round shape and not spread while baking. A small ice cream scoop worked well for dropping the dough onto the baking sheets. A 14 oz. bag of coconut equaled 5 1/2 cups.

A note from Carol: It’s a joy to share another of Jenna’s recipes in Food, Faith and Fellowship. You might remember her Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake featured in the Feb. 22, 2011, post. This busy young mom loves to cook, bake and develop new recipes, which she shares from time to time on her own innovative blog — “jenna knows best!”