Depending on your location in the U.S. of A., rhubarb season starts in late March or April. Here in the Mid-South, my rhubarb plant is coming into its own. Peak picking begins in May. If you’ve followed this goofy blog, you know I adore rhubarb. To kick off this first day of Spring, I’m mashing up a Crumbl inspired lemon cookie recipe with my favorite strawberry-rhubarb filling.
But in all honesty, I’m trying to work my way through my frozen stash of scarlet stalks in prep for this year’s crop. Growing rhubarb here in the Mid-South is possible, but as an annual. (FYI…I’ve only been able to find rhubarb plants at Homestead Farms and Nursery. You can order roots through mail order companies like Burpee as well.) Rhubarb grows best in colder climates where it returns as a perennial garden staple. Needless to say, last summer Mom and I thoroughly thinned out her Wyoming rhubarb plants, cleaned, vacuum sealed, and froze about 4 pounds for me to bring down South. The TSA agent in Billings, MT didn’t blink an eye when I told her what was stuffed into my carry-on. (Over the years, I’ve packed homemade bacon, cookies, and other interesting food stuffs into my bags. LOL!).
For this strawberry-rhubarb filling I used diced frozen strawberries and rhubarb stalks. Don’t thaw them before cooking with the other ingredients. Fresh is best if you can get it, and frozen cooks up in the recipe just the same.
The cookie base is a hefty, lemony sugar cookie. When I say hefty, I mean substantially sized. Use a #16 cookie scooper or a 1/4-c. measuring cup to portion out the dough. Press the dough down slightly to about 3/4-inch thick and bake until slightly, lightly browned on the bottom. To ensure the strawberry-rhubarb filling stays put, you’ll need to indent the warm cookies with a 1/4-c. measuring cup. Cool, fill, and drizzle with melted white chocolate (if desired). A sprinkle of powdered sugar would be delightful as well. Enjoy!
If you’re interested, here are other tried and true rhubarb dessert recipes we enjoy:
- Rhubarb Custard Bars
- Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Shortbread Squares
- Lemon Cheesecake with Rhubarb-Strawberry Sauce
Strawberry-Rhubarb Filled Lemon Cookies
- Prep Time: 20-30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: About 1 Hour
- Yield: 12–14 Cookies 1x
Ingredients
For Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling:
8 oz. strawberries, washed and halved*
6–8 oz. rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2-/1/4-inch chunks*
1 T. butter, unsalted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 T. light brown sugar
2 tsp. corn starch, divided
2 tsp. water, divided
For Lemon Cookies:
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 T. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract or oil**
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt (table, kosher, or sea)
2 tsp. baking powder
For Garnish:
1/2 c. white chocolate, melted. OR 1/4 c. powdered sugar
Instructions
To Make Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine all filling ingredients, except for cornstarch and water. Combine 1 tsp. cornstarch with 1 tsp. cold water and stir to dissolve. Add to strawberry rhubarb mixture. Bring to a simmering boil. Cook until fruit is soft and reduce to about half. Combine remaining 1 tsp. cornstarch with 1 tsp, cold water and add to simmering fruit mixture. Cook until mixture coats the back of a spoon and leaves a distinct line when run over with another spoon or finger. Set aside to cool.
To Make Lemon Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Using a standing or hand-held mixer, cream butter and sugars together creamy and fluffy. Add zest, egg, vanilla, and lemon extract/oil. Beat until evenly combined.
Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add to egg mixture until evenly combine and flour is just incorporated. Use a #16 cookie scoop or 1/4-cup measuring cup to portion dough out onto the prepared baking sheets. Space dough about 2-inches apart. Press dough down into about a 3/4-inch thickness. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges of cookies are just beginning to brown. Remove sheets from oven and set onto cooling racks. Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to press an indent into each cookie while still warm. Allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, place about 1 heaping T. of Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling into each indentation. If desired, drizzle melted white chocolate over each cookie, or dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
*Frozen fruit of equal amounts can be used. Do not thaw before cooking. Filling can be cooked up to 3-4 days before using and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
**If using lemon oil, consider using 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. lemon oil due to its intensity.
IMNPB
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