It’s cold again, like super cold. Vermont can really mess with your head, especially in March. One day it’s sunny and in the 40’s, the next there’s a wind chill several degrees below zero. Clearly there’s nothing I can do to change the weather (but I dream of having that power) so I find it best to embrace the chaos and do things that suit me in the moment.
I was wanting to get the kids outside but there was all this whining about it being cold, the wind, and getting dressed. It wasn’t a battle I was willing to fight, and honestly, I didn’t want to go in the cold. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, I’m a Vermonter after all, but some days it’s just unappealing. We had a big bag of lemons sitting on our counter so we decided to use that old saying “make lemonade out of lemons” but we didn’t make lemonade and the lemons were the super cold wind chill…so maybe not so much with the saying, but anyway, it’s citrus season and we made lemon cookies!
We got into our new 100 Cookies book, https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/100-cookies (I will continue to link this until everyone I know owns a copy, it’s that awesome) and found the recipe we wanted. We had to alter it slightly because I didn’t have any lemon extract, we used fresh squeezed lemon juice instead using 2 tablespoons since it’s not as strong as extract.
After being inside all day the kids were pretty wound up. They’re not really inside kids, they spend a lot of time outside running around, so when they’re cooped up things can go south fast. We were all laughing and chatting about the recipe, adding what we needed to the mixer, zesting lemons, when a skirmish broke out. Sugar went flying! I could have yelled (and I thought about it), I could have sent them out of the kitchen and finished on my own (they had it coming, I mean for real, fighting over sugar?), but instead I started to laugh. They looked at me like I was crazy, and they started to laugh. The alternative was 3 grumpy people, and a bit of spilled sugar was not something to ruin the afternoon over. Everything was sticky, including out feet (seriously, so much sugar in so many places), but we pressed on and had a blast. It was so worth cleaning up the spilled sugar mess to see their faces laughing and enjoying each other after an argument. See, that’s the thing about baking with kids. You never know what you’re going to get, you can’t prepare for it all, you just have to roll with it and make the best of whatever happens.
The cookies came out so yummy! Just the right crunch, but also slightly chewy on the inside. The lemon flavor was subtle, but obviously there at the same time. (I’m sure if we had used extract it would’ve packed a stronger lemon flavor, I actually like how they turned out here.) The cookies are rolled in sugar and lemon zest before you bake them which leads to this amazing crispy candied lemon peel flavor when you bite into them. Once again, we’ve found another keeper! (I have a feeling all of them in this book are, it could be a problem)
Now, off to the kitchen with you all, and find a kid to take with you. No matter the mess you won’t regret all those memories you make! We’d love to know what you’re up to so let us know! You can also keep up with us on Instagram @100daysofbakingwithkids or on Facebook at 100 days of baking with kids. Happy baking!
100 days of baking with kids 