Blueberry Lemon Cookies Recipe

Dress up refrigerated sugar cookie dough with ricotta, lemon, and fresh blueberries for a quick spring treat.

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

My grandma Dorothy loved sweets and was a talented baker. I don’t know if the sweet tooth developed because of baking or vice versa, but thanks to Grandma, most of our meals were finished with something sweet, if it was simply a bowl of mixed fresh berries sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice.

I inherited Grandma’s sweet tooth, but not her baking gene. That’s why I usually keep few boxes of cake mix in the pantry or purchased pie crusts and cookie dough in the refrigerator. I watch baking championships on television and marvel at how these people create cakes and such too beautiful to eat, realizing all the while I’m so not that person!

Grandma also passed on to me the belief that few things say “you’re special” or “I love you” like something baked in your kitchen. You could feel the love in the made-from-scratch German Chocolate Cake she baked every year for her son, my father. It was such a treat for all of us.

I wanted an easy cookie recipe that would not only taste like I fussed but be easy to pack and give to friends who needed a little cheering up. And remember that picnic season is right around the corner, so these Blueberry Lemon Cookies, the second recipe in my Springtime Shortcuts series, would make a great addition to your basket. The beauty is the recipe, inspired by one from Pillsbury, starts with a roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Let’s get baking!

To make my Blueberry Lemon Cookies recipe, which yields about two dozen, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

• ¼ cup ricotta cheese

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

• 1 tablespoon lemon extract

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

• Powdered sugar for decoration

The original recipe used cream cheese, but the process to make the cookies was far too complicated! I had ricotta cheese on hand (I prefer whole-fat ricotta, but you can choose whatever you like), and it turned out fine. Whipped cream cheese might also be a good substitute ingredient.

The lemon extract has concentrated lemon flavor but if you don’t have it in your pantry, use fresh lemon juice. Remember to zest the lemon first!

Enjoy Blueberry Lemon Cookies with tea for a perfect afternoon break.

Directions for Blueberry Lemon Cookies

We know chilled, rolled cookie dough is as hard as a brick, so let it rest on your counter for about 30 minutes. This will make it easier to mix in the other ingredients.

In a large bowl, break up the cookie dough into small pieces (about 1½- to 2-inch chunks). Add ricotta, lemon zest and extract, and flour. Knead the ingredients in the bowl until everything is mixed. Cover and allow to chill for 30 minutes. This will allow the fat in the cookie dough to firm up and help keep the cookies from spreading when baked.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop a good tablespoon of chilled dough and form into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and press 3 blueberries into the dough ball. Space each cookie about 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, or until edges are a light golden brown; in my oven, the cookies were reach after 11½ minutes, so keep an eye on them.

Remove the baked cookies to cool on a wire rack. When cooled completely, sprinkle with powdered sugar. The ricotta and extra flour make this a pillow-soft cookie. The brightness of lemon comes through, and the baked blueberries add just the right sweetness without overpowering. You must try one just out of the oven when the berries are still warm!

Storing Blueberry Lemon Cookies

I recommend placing cookies in a zip-top bag and keep in the refrigerator. If you want to freeze them, skip the powdered sugar step until you’re ready to pack up for a gift or to serve. Once the frozen cookies have thawed (I’d recommend a wire rack), then decorate.

Blueberry Lemon Cookies are the perfect end to a spring meal or to enjoy with a cup of tea in the afternoon. They are at their best when shared with friends. The refrigerated cookie dough can be our little secret.

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Here are two more simple cookie recipes to try

If you want an easier bake-from-scratch cookie, you can't miss with these Lemon Butter Cookies. Crisp with a tender center, they freeze and pack well. A longtime favorite, Gooey Butter Cookies start with a yellow cake mix and are irresistible. They freeze well, too, but I doubt you'll have leftover cookies! Both would make a nice end-of-the-year gift for your child's teacher.

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Quick Chipotle Pork Tacos Recipe

Flavorful canned beans and store-bought pulled pork are the keys to this fast supper that’s ready in under 30 minutes.

Quick Chipotle Pork Tacos

Spring is in full swing here. I love the flowering trees, bulbs, and shrubs. Neighbors are in the yards doing the first mow of the year, making the beds ready for this year’s garden, and potting early spring flowers for the porch. Busy families have school programs, sports, recitals, and more to attend.

All of this activity can be a challenge when it comes to mealtime. That’s why all month, I’m focusing on “springtime shortcuts,” four recipes that don’t skimp on flavor but can cut your time in the kitchen in half. And we’re starting off with a ridiculously simple yet flavorful Quick Chipotle Pork Tacos. You can feed your crew in 30 minutes and still have time to enjoy a springtime evening of family fun.

The keys to this simple, budget-friendly recipe are Bush’s Honey Chipotle Grillin’ Beans® and pork purchased cooked and ready to use from your grocer’s deli or meat case. Fresh ingredients like crispy shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped fresh tomatoes, and a squeeze of lime complete this delicious dish. Let’s get cooking!

To make Quick Chipotle Pork Tacos, which yields 5 servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 can (21.5 ounces) Bush’s Honey Chipotle Grillin’ Beans®

• 1 (12-ounce) container of cooked, pulled pork without sauce

• 1 box taco shells

• ¼ cup shredded iceberg lettuce

• 5–7 grape tomatoes, diced

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)

• ¼ yellow onion, chopped fine

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ¼ teaspoon chili powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 fresh lime

• Salt and pepper to taste

The canned beans serve double duty in this recipe. The drained beans are refried, and their sauce will top the warmed pork in the taco. Ingenious! Many supermarkets carry smoked meats in their deli, so check there first. Otherwise, there are several national brands available almost everywhere, so I’ll bet your store carries a few of them. If you plan a day ahead, it’s easy to make pulled pork in your instapot or slow cooker. My slow-cooker pork recipe can be modified by omitting the peppers and used in the tacos. Your pork will be moist and tender with a mild chile flavor. Save leftovers for another meal.

Directions for Quick Chipotle Pork Tacos

This is such a quick weeknight meal! Let’s start with making the refried beans.

Drain the canned beans, saving the sauce in a bowl.

Bring a skillet up to medium-high heat. While that comes to temperature, finely chop the onion. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 8–10 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Add the minced garlic; this will cook until fragrant (just a couple of minutes). Meanwhile, reheat the cooked pork in your microwave.

While the meat reheats, cut grape tomatoes into small quarters and shred lettuce (unless you bought a bag of shredded lettuce, you smart cookie).

Remove the pan from heat and stir in beans. Mash beans with a potato masher (use a fork if you don’t have one) and stir well to combine the mixture.

To assemble your tacos (I like the Old El Paso crunchy corn taco shells with a square bottom), line the bottom with a generous tablespoon of beans. Top with some of the pork, then add lettuce and tomatoes. Drizzle with sauce from the beans (I reheated the sauce for a few seconds in the microwave). Serve with a wedge of lime if desired. Other optional toppings could include shredded cheese and sour cream.

What’s your favorite spring activity? Walks in the park? Flying a kite? Going to a ballgame? Leave a comment below. What do you grab when on the go? With simple, delicious, and satisfying recipes like my Chipotle Pork Tacos, you’re fed and out the door in no time!

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Here are two more fast dinner ideas perfect for spring or summer. Both use smart supermarket shortcuts.

Mom’s Italian Deli Rotelle Pasta Salad is a satisfying supper in a snap. As the pasta boils, prepare the other ingredients and toss with grated Parmesan.

Frozen tortellini and cooked shrimp provide the fast track to flavor in my Pesto Tortellini and Shrimp Salad. You can zip up the pesto fresh in no time, or if you’re really pressed for time, purchase pesto from the store.

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Jerk Turkey Sliders

Inspired by Jamaican culinary traditions, these tasty sandwiches are enhanced by jerk seasoning and presented on soft, buttery buns.

Jerk Turkey Sliders

My visit to Jamaica was too brief when my daughter and I were on a cruise that called at Ochos Rios. Although I tasted jerk chicken that day at the beach, I had a limited understanding of what was behind this Jamaican culinary tradition. I thought it was simply a delicious Caribbean spice blend.

Historically there’s nothing simple about jerk, which refers to the way meat is seasoned, smoked, and grilled. In the 18th century, Maroons (people who escaped slavery and settled in the hills of Jamaica) cooked tough cuts of meat in underground smokeless pits (the smoke would have revealed their locations) thus creating this delicious dish. These methods to season, preserve, and cook the meat they hunted were learned through alliances with indigenous inhabitants.

One of America’s most popular and diverse food categories, barbecue, is another culinary tradition rooted in slavery. While it’s hard to pinpoint where American barbecue was “invented,” by the time of the Civil War, enslaved Southern cooks had been slow cooking meat over pits for close to 200 years. Our country's food history would not be the same without African-Americans culinary skill. These methods and recipes help to tell important American stories, and we need to remember the source.

Jerk Turkey Sliders, our final March mashup, utilize these important culinary traditions, and let’s face it; does any protein need a flavor bomb more than turkey? The sliders cook quickly on the grill, perfect for your Final Four March Madness party (or any spring gathering)! Let’s get cooking!

To make this recipe for Jerk Turkey Sliders, which yields 8 servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1½ teaspoons ground allspice

• 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder

• 1½ teaspoons onion powder

• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano

• 1½ teaspoons brown sugar

• 1½ teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 4 slices pepper jack cheese

• ½ cup canned fried onions

• 8 slider buns

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions for Jerk Turkey Sliders

Preheat your grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Combine turkey and all the spices in a bowl and mix gently with your hands until combined.

Form the mixture into eight 2-ounce patties. Press the center of each patty with your thumb to make an indentation. This will help the little patty from puffing up as you grill it.

Coat the grill or grill pan lightly with vegetable oil and grill indent-side up about three minutes or until the internal temperature hits 150 degrees F. Flip the sliders.

Place half of a cheese slice over each slider and cook another two or three minutes with the lid lowered on your grill. If using a pan, place a metal bowl over the sliders to help with melting the cheese. Remove sliders to a plate and loosely tent with foil.

Brush the buns with melted butter and grill until lightly toasted. To serve, place a patty on a bun’s bottom, top with some fried onions and the other half of bun. If you want to add a condiment of your choice, that’s fine, too. I liked eating them plain so all the jerk spices could come through. But if you wanted to make a complimentary condiment, add ½ teaspoon each of all the jerk seasonings plus juice of half a lime to a cup of ketchup.

By the way, did you know the history of the slider? It can be traced to Wichita, Kansas, 1921, when the founders of White Castle—Walter A. Anderson and E.W. Ingram—started their now famous restaurant chain. Anderson sold his shares to his business partner in 1933. (Be honest, you want a Belly Bomber right now, don’t you?)

Now that spring has arrived and grilling/barbecue season is getting started, I hope you’ll try my Jerk Turkey Sliders. The compact size is great to pack for a picnic, too. And the warm, complex spices provide the perfect flavor bomb. I guess every little thing really is all right.

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Looking for more slider and burger ideas?

You won’t have to uncover your grill to make these Easy Barbecued Beef Sliders because they cook in your slow cooker. If you’re tired of beef or turkey burgers, try my Easy Grilled Salmon Burgers this spring.

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.