Blueberry Lemon Buttercream Frosted Cookies
These cookies are for our little girl “Luna” who hasn’t even shown up yet. Don’t ask me how, because I can’t explain it, but she’s already calling herself “Luna”. Also it’s Virgo season so that means my birthday is coming up soon. I’m rambling now, but whatever.
The Witch is always looking for citrus-y flavors when it’s not citrus season. I beat her to it with this one. We saw a post pinterest for the design of these cookies. That was all of the rest of the inspiration I needed. I said I can do that in a way that will be fruity and citrus-y and get that style. And here we are. The cookie is moist a full of blueberry flavor. The butter cream frosting punches you in the taste buds with lemon juice and zest. It’s a one two knock out. I ate way to much of the frosting in the “testing” phase, and the “frosting the cookies” phase, and then during the “shooting the photos” phase.
These cookies didn’t turn out this great the first round. I thought that using blue berries would be enough, but that didn’t work at all. They looked sad.
Once I regrouped I realized I’d need more color and flavor from the blueberries. I could do either a reduction or a syrup. I don’t yet know the difference, but since these are cookies I chose syrup. I figured the sweetness could be tamed by reducing the overall sugar, the color would be handled by the richness of the syrup, and it could also impart a lot of flavor since it’s concentrated. I’d never made a syrup before but it’s pretty easy. Water, sugar, and fruit. Boil it down and then strain out the fruit and there you go. It’d be great on pancakes by the way.
To make the syrup take 1 cup of blueberries, 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of water (Makes ~2/3 cup). Put all of the ingredients into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. I personally like to mash each of the blueberries with the back of a spoon. This gets all of the juice and color out. When the berries have softened and been mushed strain into a bowl. You can save the mashed leftover berries for anything you want. This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Just don’t use it all on pancakes. Note that you’ll want to make this and let it cool before use or you could scramble the eggs. Make extra and use it for breakfast syrup on french toast or waffles.
Ingredients
Cookies:
1 Cup unsalted butter
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons of the syrup (instructions above)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 Cups All Purpose flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting:
1 Cup unsalted butter (room temp - important)
zest of half a lemon
juice from a whole lemon
3 Cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Make the syrup (instructions above) and let cool
Cream the butter with the granulated sugar in the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment
Beat in the eggs one at a time until mixed
Mix in the vanilla extract, cooled blueberry syrup, and lemon zest
In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda
Slowly mix in the dry ingredients into the wet
Mix in the white chocolate chips until just combined
Scoop out the cookies using a 2 1/2 Tablespoon and place on a parchment line baking sheet
Bake for 14 minutes
Let sit on the pan for 2-3 minutes
Move to a wire rack to cool
Frosting:
Cream the room temperature butter
Scrape down the sides and mix in the lemon zest and juice
Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides often
Frost the cooled cookies
