Lemon Verbena Low Carb Macaroons

Use this herbal low carb macaroons recipe for a light and airy treat as summer descends upon us.  We chose scented geraniums and lemon verbena for this recipe, but you can use any herbal combination you want! 

Herbal Flower Cookies

Usually, when autumn begins its decent, my family really wants the spice and nostalgia of a gingersnap. Come Christmas, it’s time for peppermint patties and specialty cookies like Benne wafers to send as gifts. Sometimes, you just need a darn good chocolate cookie.

Once spring comes and summer settles in, though, the kids and I want a cookie that’s a little lighter and zesty. There are so many herbal flowers and leaves that can be used in baking that a quick study of wildcrafting will yield an abundant harvest.

For just a few ideas:

• Use our instructions here to make Herbal Flower and Rose Syrup that you’ll need for the low carb macaroon recipe below
• Lavender for sweet and savory recipes from Homespun Seasonal Living
  For wellness flowers you can trust Echinacea to make an oil and salve with Nerdy Farm Wife

Low Carb Herbal Treats

Our house isn’t a Keto one but we do prefer low carb treats so that we can eat them and not feel yucky afterwards. A favorite low carb cookie is the humble macaroon. You have to like coconut, which not everyone does. You also have to not be allergic to coconut, which, sadly, a few people are. If you have yet to eat a macaroon, you’re in for a lovely treat.

Here are a few other low carb treats to consider:

Pomegranate Fat Bombs – some would argue that pomegranate isn’t low carb, but taken in moderation, all but the most militant Keto peeps can handle a bit.

Chocolate Dandelion Milkshake – swap out the maple syrup for the Rose Syrup above or another low carb sweetener and don’t use too much; the real flavor of this treat comes from the dandelion and chocolate.

Rose Ice Cream – again, swap out any sugar suggestion you don’t want with straight erythritol or our Rose Syrup.

Scented Geraniums and Lemon Verbena

Scented geraniums and lemon verbena are both wonderful for any herb gardener to grow.  They’re both very cold sensitive so, if you live in a place with pronounced winters, be sure to make a place for them indoors.  Mine start to look a little scraggly once we get to March and they’ve been inside since December.  However, once I put them back outside, they green right up and start producing again.

Scented Geraniums

If you have yet to discover geraniums, I hope you’ll give them a try this year.  Scented geraniums are related to common geraniums (both are classified as pelargonium) and both are lovely.  The scented geraniums are, no surprise, more fragrant than their common sisters, though the blooms are typically less varied.  I grow both so that I don’t have to choose between the two.

Don’t confuse pelargoniums with cranesbill geranium (Geranium maculatum), which are very different plants, though cousins to the geraniums you may be most familiar with.

It is common practice to take ONLY scented geraniums internally for food or wellness.  For this recipe, I used the blooms  and the leaves from my apple-scented (p. odoratissimum) geranium.

According to The Royal Horticultural Society’s Encyclopedia of Herbs, pelargoiniums have a wide range of wellness uses from digestive to bronchial to topical skin issues.  Because of pelargoniums essential oil content, it is also often used to aid both stomach and sinus complaints by way of tea and herbal steam baths.  It can also be eaten in salads or added to soups.

If you’d like to learn to grow your own scented geraniums to make these low carb macaroons or just to have in the container herb garden, please visit this article from the Gardenista.

Lemon Verbena

Scented like a lemon Popsicle, lemon verbena is a delicate herb that will completely change the way you look at an afternoon’s cup o’ tea.  To learn more about the benefits and uses of lemon verbena, please visit this article from Joybilee Farm.

I have loved this herb since I was in college, where I grew it in my apartment.  In fact, it was this herb that inspired me to write, Herbs in the Bathtub, to teach anyone and everyone how to grow herbs in containers no matter where they live.  

Scented Geranium and Lemon Verbena Low Carb Macaroons

Make these herbal low carb macaroons with no sugar and a variety of foraged or cultivated herbs for a light and zesty treat on these hot summer days.  Make up a batch of our Herbal Flower and Rose Syrup to use before you dive into this recipe.

The inspiration for this recipe came to me as I was reading the recipe for this Keto Coconut Macaroon from Low Carby Yum.  She has a really good video tutorial to go with this recipe if you’re new to making macaroons.  Her whole site is a feast for the low-carb-er, by the way.

I had just made a fresh batch of rose syrup and decided to use it in this recipe, making it an herb-y low carb macaroon.  Delightful!

Print Recipe

Scented Geranium and Lemon Verbena Low Carb Macaroon

Prep Time

15 mins

Cooling Time

20 mins

 

Low Carb Macaroons with Herbs l Scented geranium and lemon verbena added to this low carb macaroon recipe is perfect for a tangy but sweet summer cookies l Homestead Lady.com

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: foraged food, herbal, low carb

Serving Suggestion: 12

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup + 2 tbsp Rose Syrup
• ¼ Cup Erythritol Optional for additional sweetness (This would be too sweet for my family, FYI)
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 3 Fresh Eggs
• ½ Cup of Finely Chopped Herbs Scented Geranium leaves and blooms, lemon verbena, mint, calendula or lavender are all suitable choice.
• 4-5 Cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Instructions

1. Make up a batch of our Herbal Flower and Rose Syrup to use before you dive into this recipe.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine syrup, salt and eggs in a mixer – mix well.
4. Add herbs and mix until incorporated.
5. Add coconut a cup full at a time until a dough forms.
6. Using an ice cream scoop or large, rounded spoon, place macaroon dough on the cookie sheet in small mounds. They won’t spread as they bake but keep them about an inch apart.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are light brown. The rich yellow color of the egg can mask the browning, so pay attention.
8. Carefully remove by sliding the paper off the cookie sheet and onto a cooling rack. Thoroughly cool before moving.

Recipe Notes

Makes at least 2 dozen cookies.

Macaroon dough is weird – not like a grain-based cookie dough. You don’t want to the dough mixture so wet that liquid is left in the bottom of the bowl. Neither do you want the dough so dry it does nothing but crumble.