Good lemon cookies are just one of those necessities in life. Especially when you’re in the height of citrus season (and the middle of self-isolation).

A kid and parent pleaser, this is a fun recipe to make as a family - it can even work as part of a chemistry lesson for homeschooling. Why do we add baking soda? What does baking powder do? Very important baking-related questions that make learning fun. (We also like a simple lemon/sugar glaze as a topping, which, if made and played with correctly, can be considered a non-newtonian fluid. There you go, physics and chemistry all in one cookie recipe! You’re set on school for the day! Good for you; you deserve a cookie.)

Give them a shot and don’t forget to share your results on social media and tag us at @Grove45evoo!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 3 heaping teaspoons lemon zest

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Topping:
  1 cup confectioners sugar
  2-4 TBSP lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F  and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the sugar, olive oil, lemon zest and rosemary until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time. Mix until combined.

5. Roll cookies into tablespoon-sized balls, placing them on the parchment-lined cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. 

6. Bake for 11 – 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the sheet to cool for a few minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

7. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl until well combined. Spoon over cooled cookies and allow glaze to harden before enjoying. 

Going into another weekend and need another baking project? Look no further.

One of our all-time favorite brownie recipes is adapted from The New York Times Cooking section and is the perfect marriage of glorious olive oil and decadent chocolate. We swap coffee for water and add just a touch of espresso powder to really bring out the chocolate kick and to complement the subtle spiciness of the Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

This is another great recipe to make as a family, and sure to become a favorite in your house too. We recommend using a high-quality sea salt, like you might find from Jacobson Salt Company or Pacific Flake Sea Salt. If you don’t have any laying around, don’t worry - regular sea salt will work just fine. 

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons of Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus additional to grease the pan)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus additional for topping)
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of espresso powder
¼ cup hot (boiling) coffee
3 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup dark brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ cup chocolate chips

PREPARATION
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, and grease an 8-by-8-inch square baking dish with additional olive oil. Line pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, espresso powder and hot coffee until smooth. Whisk in 6 tablespoons oil, melted chocolate, egg and vanilla.
4. Whisk in brown and granulated sugars, then fold in flour mixture, then chocolate chips. Scrape into prepared pan, and bake until set and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Immediately sprinkle brownies with flaky salt while still warm, and let cool. Cut and serve.

Enjoy!

PS. Don’t forget to post pictures of your creation on Instagram and tag us @grove45evoo so we can share the love!