As summer awakens on the South Shore, my mind turns to beach trips and forest walks.
Rissers Beach Provincial Park is my family’s go-to beach for blissful afternoons playing in the waves with our dog and snacking while we read or lounge. We always pack a generous selection of fruits, veggies, plenty of cold drinks, and baked goods.
When we’re ready to get out of the sun and escape the hot sand, we retreat to the relative cool of the forest and its soft pine needle littered floors for a stroll.
To keep everyone happy, I’m a fan of cookies that feel indulgent and satisfying but also pack some nutritional punch to keep energy levels up.
These Lemon Lacies are gratifyingly crispy and tart while being conveniently oatmeal-based. Pressing the cookies down with icing sugar before baking gives them a delightfully thin, crisp glaze on top after they bake.
I have come across a few variations of this cookie in my hand written recipes but this version comes from my mother-in-law, Debbie.
The original recipe instructs you to press the cookies down with a generously icing sugar dusted flat bottomed cup. I prefer to scoop and then press the top of the cookies into a plate of icing sugar. I find it gives me more consistent coverage and is easier but both techniques will work.
Lemon Lacies
Yield: 36 3-inch cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cup flour
1 ½ cup oat flakes
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup icing sugar
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for 4 to 6 minutes on medium high speed. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the lemon zest and vanilla, and cream the mixture on high for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flour, and salt with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer and mix on medium high for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl and mix for 1 to 2 more minutes on medium high until there are no dry ingredients remaining and the oats are well distributed.
- Allow the dough to sit, covered, at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Scoop the cookie dough, using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, into 1 ½ tablespoon sized portions. Fill a small plate or a shallow bowl with the icing sugar.
- Press one side of the cookie portions into the icing sugar, one portion at a time, flattening the cookies so they are about a ½-inch tall and 1 ½ to 2-inches wide. Place 13 cookies, icing sugar side up, on each cookie sheet, leaving ample room between them.
- Bake the cookies, one cookie sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes. Store cookies, covered, at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Josie Rudderham is a local cookbook author and baker living in West LaHave. She is the co-owner of Cake and Loaf Bakery in Hamilton, Ontario. Her passion for sustainable food and community building led her and her family to the South Shore where they are building Rivercroft Regenerative Farm. She collects old cookbooks and loves to share old recipes rebuilt with local ingredients.
See all of Josie’s recipes published in The Barnacle at this link.
