Tantalizing Greek Yogurt Cookies with Lemon Icing

Sneak Peek: This recipe for Greek Yogurt Cookies with Lemon Icing was inspired by Giada’s Lemon Ricotta Cookies. A lemony powdered sugar glaze makes them memorable.

Although not my favorite vacation spot, what happened one day at lunch in Vegas was unforgettable.

We were eating at Giada’s restaurant. Our waitress mentioned Giada sometimes showed up unplanned to greet her patrons.

5 minutes later…

Giada appeared out of nowhere, bouncing from table to table. I could hardly contain myself when she turned our direction. What a friendly, gorgeous, and charismatic ball of energy!

Giada is famous for her cookbooks, her food shows, and her million-dollar smile. But she’s also tiny. How does she maintain her weight when thinking about food all day?

Turns out she hears that question more than any other. She shares her secrets in Giada’s Feel Good Food cookbook.

The brown bag I’m holding contains cookies we ordered from the dessert menu. I was too excited to think about removing them from the paper bag for the photo. The assortment included Giada’s famous Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Icing.

Her recipe from “Giada’s Kitchen” inspired these lemon-flavored Greek Yogurt Cookies. They taste similar.

Since I’m a Greek yogurt maker like many of you, I usually have more yogurt in my fridge than ricotta cheese. Besides that, yogurt is cheaper.

• FLOUR: All-purpose flour is best – bleached or unbleached.
• SALT: Table or sea salt
• BUTTER: Set the butter and eggs out beforehand to come to room temperature before mixing. Unsalted butter is preferred. Decrease the salt by a pinch if using salted butter.
• SUGAR: Granulated. No known substitutes.
• EGG: Large size
• LEMONS: Small to medium lemons are good. I haven’t tried it, but oranges seem like a good substitute for lemons if you prefer.
• GREEK YOGURT: The tanginess of yogurt plus the tartness of lemon equals a perfect marriage of flavors. Or do like Giada: use ricotta cheese if you prefer.
  
  If you can only get regular yogurt or your Greek yogurt is not as thick as ricotta cheese, you might want to strain it to remove more whey. The process will produce a more ricotta-cheese-like texture.
  
  And exactly how do I strain it?
  
  Pour yogurt into a cheap strainer or colander lined with a paper coffee filter or paper towel. Drain for 30-60 minutes.
  

Frequently asked questions:

What is the difference between regular yogurt and Greek yogurt?

Greek yogurt is regular yogurt with part of the whey removed. The process makes Greek yogurt thicker, higher in protein, and lower in sugar.

In this recipe, the thicker Greek yogurt will help the cookies bake up puffy instead of flat like a pancake. When using regular yogurt, either drain the whey for 30-60 minutes or add additional flour.

What does Greek yogurt do for these cookies?

Greek yogurt keeps them moist, fluffy and light like miniature cakes.

Is it OK to double this recipe?

Yes. This recipe only makes 30 small cookies (20 large) so make a double batch for a party.

How do these cookies contain so much protein?

The Greek yogurt in this recipe adds 18 grams of protein. According to the nutritional analysis, each cookie contains 2 grams of protein.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes. Wrap them with waxed paper between the layers so the icing won’t glue them together. Double wrapping is always a good idea.

How to make Greek Yogurt Cookies with Lemon Icing:

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Yield: 30 small cookies

Soft Greek Yogurt Cookies with Lemon Icing

Print

This recipe makes a cake-like cookie featuring the tanginess of Greek yogurt and the tartness of lemon and topped with a sweet lemon glaze.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 32 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• grated rind of 1 small lemon
• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup thick unflavored Greek yogurt

Glaze

• 1 cups powdered sugar
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of heavy cream (or milk)
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whip soft butter until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy. Add egg and keep mixing until smooth.
3. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, and Greek yogurt to the above mixture.
4. Stir in dry ingredients, making sure there are no stray pockets of butter that aren't mixed with the flour in the bowl.
5. Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
6. Spoon a generous tablespoon for each cookie onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes (depending on whether it is the first batch or the last and the size of the cookies) until edges are beginning to brown.
8. Make the icing while cookies bake. Sift powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add grated lemon rind, cream, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Combine until smooth. Add another tablespoon of lemon juice if the icing is too thick.
9. When the cookies are brown on the bottom but not on top, remove them from the oven. After 10 minutes, pull the cookies away from the paper and allow to continue cooling on a rack or tea towel. Smoothly coat the top with lemon frosting. Let the frosting cool and set before handling them. Eat whenever you can't resist any longer.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g

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