Lemon Cranberry Florentines

Delicate, lacy almond cookies studded with candied lemon peel and dried cranberries, then drizzled with dark chocolate. These elegant Florentines combine sweet, tart, and citrus flavors in a crispy, delectable cookie.

24 servings

1 hr 35 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•6 tablespoons unsalted butter
•⅔ cup sugar
•⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
•3 tablespoons honey
•1¼ cups slivered almonds
•1 cup candied lemon peel
•½ cup dried cranberries
•⅓ cup all purpose flour
•9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
•

Cooking Instructions

1.
Place butter, sugar, whipping cream, and honey in medium saucepan. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 230°F, about 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Immediately add chopped almonds, 1/2 cup Candied Lemon Peel, cranberries, and flour; stir until evenly distributed. Cool to room temperature (dough will thicken as it cools).
20 min
2.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon generous rounded teaspoonfuls dough (about 1-inchdiameter rounds) onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until cookies spread out, bubble, and are golden brown, rotating baking sheets halfway during baking, about 16 minutes total. Place baking sheets on rack. If cookies are misshapen, use butter knife to push irregular edges in, forming round cookies. Slide parchment paper with cookies onto racks; cool completely. Let baking sheets cool completely, then repeat process with remaining dough, lining baking sheets with fresh parchment paper between batches.
45 min
3.
Stir finely chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Using fork, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. Decorate with remaining 1/2 cup finely chopped Candied Lemon Peel. Chill to set chocolate, about 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store layered between sheets of parchment paper in airtight containers in refrigerator.
30 min

Cooking Instructions

Place butter, sugar, whipping cream, and honey in medium saucepan. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 230°F, about 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Immediately add chopped almonds, 1/2 cup Candied Lemon Peel, cranberries, and flour; stir until evenly distributed. Cool to room temperature (dough will thicken as it cools).

20 min

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon generous rounded teaspoonfuls dough (about 1-inchdiameter rounds) onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until cookies spread out, bubble, and are golden brown, rotating baking sheets halfway during baking, about 16 minutes total. Place baking sheets on rack. If cookies are misshapen, use butter knife to push irregular edges in, forming round cookies. Slide parchment paper with cookies onto racks; cool completely. Let baking sheets cool completely, then repeat process with remaining dough, lining baking sheets with fresh parchment paper between batches.

45 min

Stir finely chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Using fork, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. Decorate with remaining 1/2 cup finely chopped Candied Lemon Peel. Chill to set chocolate, about 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store layered between sheets of parchment paper in airtight containers in refrigerator.

30 min