My little twin brothers birthday was yesterday, and when I say little, I mean younger, cause these dudes are not small and 18 isn't little. But really, all I can think is "What the F**K. When did that happen?" It seems like just yesterday that I was baby sitting these kids, watching Rugrats and Toy Story on loop. Playing with mr. lemon head, blowing bubbles and drawing with sidewalk chalk. All the boxes of mac ans cheese, cups of chocolate with a little milk and the fruitthat needed to be cut up in order for them to eat it. They were so cute and sweet and they loved their big sister (me) so much Now when I see them, if they decided to come out of their rooms, they talk about which colleges they want to go to, their jobs, girls (if I pry) and things that I have no need to listen to (sports, video games, stuff boys walk about). And because they are bigger then me, I usually get roughed up a little when ever I see them.(I kind of deserve it cause when they were babied I dropped them each at least once) They are pretty much all grown up, although they still drink too much chocolate milk, still like their fruit pre-cut, and I think that they still secretly watch Toy Story on loop.
Never to old for Toy Story.
The cookies were made for their birthday. I was going to make a cake, but my mom was on that with 2 ice cream cakes and another regular one(just in case two was not enough) and I was not about to do a cake to compete with boxed ice cream cakes from the grocery store. I know my family, they liked their carnival ice cream cakes. But one of the twins asked me to make him a special dessert, something with lemon. So I made him these here lemon cookies and I added strawberry jam because I wanted to and it felt right. Look at me being the best sister.
But just because it's not your birthday you can still have these cookies. It's citrus season so everything should be citrusy and bright and it's just the right amount of time between Christmas cookies and now so you can make these cookies no problem. Just don't eat them all at once.
The stuff. Flour, baking powder and soda, and a little salt. Then earth balance, a chia egg, vanilla, turbinado sugar, a lemon and some strawberry jam.
Sugar, earth balance, vanilla, and the chia egg go into the bowl.
And cream it all together.
Then the dry ingredients get mix together into a bowl with the zest of the lemon then dumped into the wet with the juice of the lemon.
Mix together until a stiff, but soft dough forms.
Roll dough into little balls and with an object of your choosing (I used a chop stick) squish the cookies down a bit in a starburst like pattern then push the center of each cookie in a bit to create a little well for the jam to go.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet and fill the centers with jam and into the oven they go!
And after a good few minutes in the oven, remove from baking sheet and set to cool for a least a minute (never eat super hot jam.. you will be sorry)
And there you have it, Happy Birthday Cookies! Or just cookies, but happy cookies non the less!
Have a great weekend!
-C
Lemon Strawberry Jam Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup room temperature vegan butter
1 large lemon (zest and about 3 tablespoons of juice)
1 chia egg (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds and 3 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon vanilla
about a 1/3 cup of strawberry jam (or any flavor you want)
In a large bowl, cream together the earth balance, sugar, vanilla and chia egg. In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and powder, salt and the zest of the lemon. Dump the dry into wet and mix together along with about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until a dough forms.
preheat oven to 350
Roll dough into little palm sized balls then give them a little squish to slightly flatten them. With a chop stick or fork, press lines around the center of the cookie then take your finger and push in the center a little to create a small well. Place cookies on a baking sheet and fill each well with about 1/2 teaspoon jam. Place in oven and bake for about 10until the cookies have puffed up a little and the jam has spread. Remove one from sheet ans if the bottom is golden brown, then they are done. (The tops do not brown much) They may seem a little under baked, but once they cool, they will be perfect. Remove the rest from baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack.
Eat cookies.
