Lemon Cookies Made w/Instant Potatoes

38 Replies

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

We were given a package of instant potato flakes but I don’t cook with instant potatoes since we both much prefer the taste of real mashed potatoes to instant. But y’all know how I hate to waste food, so I set out looking for ways to use them up. Thickening for soup? Sure. Topping for shepherd’s pie? Ok.

But it’s taking too long to use this bag of instant potatoes. So I set out to find a recipe to use ’em up a little faster. Then I stumbled on a recipe to make COOKIES with them. Cookies? Really!??  Hummmm….

Cookies made with instant mashed potatoes?? YES! These cookies were surprisingly delicious, lemony & cake-like - check out my recipe. #TexasHomesteader

I figured I’ve got nothing to lose, RancherMan likes cookies and I love all things lemon so why not? I pulled out the ingredients – instant potatoes, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, lemon & baking soda.

I found the original recipe on food.com. Why but of course I changed the recipe to suit our tastes, why do you ask?? LOL

Y’all know I simply cannot leave a recipe alone! I took my lemon and juiced it and added the juice to the batter, then I zested it and added the zest of the entire lemon to the batter as well. I think this added a little more lemon flavor, which is what I was after.

Butter Melted, NOT Softened

The recipe said the dough would be crumbly and they were right. I was confused reading the original recipe & added the butter softened but not melted so that may have made the batter more crumbly than it was supposed to be. Next time I’ll melt the butter completely before adding it in.

As it was, I was able to take a handful of dough and press tightly & the warmth of my hands made the dough stick together enough to plop it onto a cookie sheet.

(update:  Yes, yes, YES – melt the butter before mixing in and the cookie dough is perfect!)

Baking The Lemon Cookies

I stuck those cookies on a cookie sheet and set it in a 350-degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. Then I cooled the cookies just a bit before attempting to move them to a cooling rack.

Yes I sneaked one cookie into my mouth while it was still warm – don’t judge me!  😉

The verdict? Both RancherMan & I LOVED them. They were soft, lemony and almost cake-like but not too sweet. Success!

I baked only 1/2 of the recipe that day and baked the other 1/2 the following day when we had company visiting. They loved them as well, the cookies were devoured in short order. And hey, if you’re going to have to put to good use a grocery item that would otherwise go to waste why not cookies, right??

Here’s the recipe as I amended it:

Print

Instant Potato Lemon Cookies

Lemon cookies made with instant mashed potatoes?  Oh yes, and they're delicious! #TexasHomesteader

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cookies, lemon, snack
Author www.TexasHomesteader.com

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup nuts finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • Zest of 1 lemon, about 1 Tablespoon
  • OPTIONAL Juice of 1 lemon, about 3-4 Tablespoons. (NOTE - this will make cookies much thinner & crispy!)
  • 1/4 cup sugar to roll dough in

Instructions

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. In large bowl, combine all ingredients except last 1/4 cup sugar; blend well. (Mixture will be crumbly.)
  3. Firmly press into 1-inch balls, roll cookies in reserved sugar & place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before attempting to remove from baking sheet. Place on rack to cool completely.

~TxH~

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38 thoughts on “Lemon Cookies Made w/Instant Potatoes”

  1. Diane

    I’ve been looking for this recipe for YEARS! I made these in the early to mid 90’s and lost the recipe when I moved. I can’t wait to try these. I remember them being crispy with a tender middle, and a nice lemon flavor.

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      Really??!! Wow, I had no idea it’d been out so long Diane. I will say I was very pleasantly surprised with these, and I enjoy changing ’em up depending upon what I’m in the mood for. Sometimes I’ll roll the cookie dough cookie in crushed nuts before flattening & baking – it’s always delicious! ~TxH~

      Reply ↓
  2. Lisa

    Can I bake these as bar cookies? My dough was more moist than crumbly. Should I add more potato flakes and make individual cookies?

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      Wow Lisa, sorry I’m just now responding, RancherMan & I were traveling to visit with family. I’ve never made bar cookies with this recipe, only individual cookies. I use butter instead of margarine (not sure if that even makes a difference but…) and I’m careful to melt the butter instead of just adding it softened – that made a difference in the texture of the dough for my cookies as well. So… How did yours turn out? ~TxH~

      Reply ↓
  4. lisa M

    I have never heard of mashed potato cookies before! they sound great…I’ll have to give them a try!

    Thanks for sharing with Green Thumb Thursday! I hope you’ll join us again this week!

    ~Lisa

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      They’re very good Lisa, and you can change them up to suit your tastes. I added chopped pecans and went lighter on the lemon recently and they tasted like pecan sandies. Delicious! ~TMR~

      Reply ↓
  9. All that's Jas

    Interesting….mash potato cookies. Lunch and dessert all in one, lol. I like it! Thanks for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things. I hope you will join us again next Thursday!

    Reply ↓
  12. Erlene

    This is an interesting recipe. Who would’ve thought to make cookies from potato flakes? I’ll have to give these a try. Pinned. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday.

    Reply ↓
  13. Kelly

    This recipe was so intriguing to me–instant mashed potatoes in cookies?!? I love the moisture that potatoes add to breads, so why not a cookie too? Brilliant! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply ↓
  14. Jennie

    Wow! These look good!
    I would love if you would come linkup and share on Friday Favorites!
    http://thediaryofarealhousewife.blogspot.com

    Reply ↓
  15. Cynthia Landrie

    I had no idea you could even make cookies out of instant mashed potatoes. How interesting! Cool recipe. Thank you for linking at the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. Hope to see you again next week.

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      I KNOW, RIGHT BERNADYN!!?? I was intrigued as well and doubly surprised at how delicious and cake-like they were. Give ’em a try next time you’re trying to use up your instant mashed potatoes. ~TMR~

      Reply ↓
  19. Kathy

    Now this sounds very interesting! I’ll have to share this with my daughter! I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

    Reply ↓
  20. Joy @ Yesterfood

    I would never waste food again if ALL extras and leftovers could be made into COOKIES! Brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Treasure Box Tuesday- pinned! 😀

    Reply ↓
  21. Elizabeth

    Who knew?! Instant potatoes? Wow. I do love lemon cookies, so I may have to give this a try! Found you at the link party at A Delightsome Life!

    Reply ↓

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