These lemon shortbread cookies are buttery, tender, zesty, tangy, and (optionally) filled with gooey lemon curd. They have a melt in your mouth texture. They're packed full of lemon flavor even without the lemon curd! The shortbread cookies come together very quickly and easily - and turn out super buttery and tender crisp. They’re dipped in a two ingredient lemon glaze and are the perfect holiday and summer cookie.
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🍋 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Lemon: The shortbread is packed full of natural lemon flavor from lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Texture: They're buttery and melt in your mouth.
- Lemon curd: You can fill these with lemon curd for some extra zest and tang!
- Easy: Shortbread cookies are so easy, use minimal ingredients, and are a crowd-pleaser.
📝 Key ingredients
These cookies consist of a shortbread cookie base, a two ingredient lemon glaze (optional), and a tangy lemon curd filling (also optional).
Follow the instructions in this lemon curd cookie recipe to make the best homemade lemon curd. I use the same lemon curd recipe in my lemonade bundt cake, lemon tiramisu, and lemon Victoria sponge cake.
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Lemons: You will need the zest and juice of two lemons. The juice will be used in the shortbread dough and the glaze.
- Butter: Your shortbread is only as good as your butter is. Use good quality butter for best results. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- Egg yolk: Usually shortbread doesn't contain eggs. However, one large egg yolk allows you to add lemon juice for a bit of tang without ruining the dough. It also gives the cookies more of a yellow color.
- All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
- Lemon curd: You can make your own lemon curd or use store bought lemon curd. It's so creamy and tangy, and tastes even better homemade!
✔️ Ingredient substitutions
I haven't tested any ingredient substitutions. These options should work and let us know in the comments if you've used them!
- Filling: Use your favorite jam or filling that pairs well with lemon to fill these cookies. Fill them with homemade raspberry curd or jam for a berry twist.
- Glaze: Dust with powdered sugar or leave out the glaze. Or you can glaze them with a vibrant raspberry glaze.
- Gluten free: Substitute all purpose flour with 1:1 gluten free flour.
- Dairy free: Use plant based butter (not spread) and use dairy free lemon curd.
👩🍳 How to make lemon shortbread
Make the shortbread dough
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine lemon zest from 2 lemons and sugar. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and clumpy.
Step 2: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, lemon zest sugar, and salt. Beat until light and creamy.
Step 3: Add lemon juice, egg yolk, and beat to combine.
Step 4: Sift flour right into the same bowl and fold until a crumbly dough forms.
Step 5: Dump dough out onto a clean work surface and press it together into a disc. Roll out the disc to ¼” thick with a rolling pin.
Cut out cookies. I used a round linzer cookie cutter with scalloped edges. Re-roll scraps as needed. If your cookie dough is sticking to the work surface or your rolling pin, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
Step 6: Use a spatula to help transfer the cut cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. You can place them right next to each other.
If you will be filling them with lemon curd, use a small cookie cutter or the linzer cookie cutter center to cut out the middles from half of the cookies.
Chill the cookies on the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
Step 7: Arrange the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets so there is at least 1 cm of space between the cookies.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until barely golden on the bottom. You don’t want the cookies to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Tip 1: Since these are shortbread cookies, you don’t have to worry about them spreading in the oven.
Tip 2: These lemon shortbread cookies don't taste as good when they get too golden! They start tasting burnt even if they don't look burnt. Watch the cookies carefully after 10 minutes of baking.
Glazing and filling the cookies
Step 1: While the cookies cool, prepare the glaze by stirring together powdered sugar and lemon juice, adding a tablespoon of lemon juice at a time to get a thick glaze consistency. It's the perfect glaze for lemon desserts and cakes.
Step 2: Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze, lift up the cookie to allow the excess to drip off, and place right side up on the cooling rack. If you will be filling the cookies with lemon curd like I did, only dip the tops of the cookies with the middle cut out.
Step 3: Use a piping bag or spoon to add lemon curd onto the bottoms of the whole cookies.
Step 4: Add the glazed cookie tops, press to attach, and serve! Once filled, the cookies are best served right away or within 24 hours.
Tip: If you're making these ahead of time or planning on storing them, don't fill the cookies at all or fill them just before serving.
🥄 Make ahead
You can make the cookie dough ahead of time, cut out the cookies, and store them on a parchment lined baking sheet in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
You can also freeze raw cut out cookies in an airtight container or bag, right on the parchment paper. They will keep well frozen for up to 3 months.
✔️ Storage
The unfilled lemon shortbread cookies will keep well at room temperature in an airtight container or bag for up to one month. I recommend eating them within 1 week of making them for the best flavor.
You can freeze the unfilled cookies in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 months.
They will also keep well glazed. Let the glaze set for two or more hours (depending on the humidity) and store in an airtight container or bag. I use the same two ingredient lemon glaze in these tangy lemon brownies.
Tip: Once the cookies are filled with lemon curd, they're best eaten straight away so that the shortbread doesn't get soft. You can store the filled cookies in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container or bag.
❔ Why rub lemon zest and sugar together?
Rubbing the lemon zest and granulated sugar massages the aromatic oils out of the lemon zest. This releases them into the sugar and adds so much more lemon flavor throughout the recipe. You don't need to add lemon extract if you do this!
I use this technique in most of my lemon recipes - like this gooey lemon butter cake.
❔ Does shortbread have egg yolks?
Typically no. Traditional shortbread is made from three ingredients: salted butter, sugar, and flour.
However, since this is lemon shortbread, I wanted to add a touch of lemon juice into the cookie dough. The cookies became a little tough so an egg yolk was needed to make them tender again. And the egg yolk adds a bit of natural yellow color to the shortbread.
📖 Recipe FAQ
You don't need to. You can leave them as is or dust them with some powdered sugar. The glaze adds even more lemon flavor but the shortbread is still very flavorful without it.
It will be barely golden on the bottom, and once it cools it will be tender crisp all the way through. You don't want the middle to be doughy or underbaked. Shortbread will continue to cook as it cools so I recommend baking low and slow (like in this recipe) so that it bakes all the way through without browning too much.
You don't want the shortbread to brown too much because then it starts tasting burnt even if it doesn't look burnt. Shortbread is meant to look pale.
You can store (unfilled) shortbread for up to a month in an airtight container or cookie tin at room temperature.
You can fill the shortbread with lemon curd or your favorite filling right before serving to get the best texture. Or eat as is.
Yes, chilling helps reduce any spreading. I recommend chilling in the freezer for 10 minutes so you don't have to wait too long. Or you can chill in the fridge overnight.
Yes it becomes hard and sets. It usually takes a few hours or more, depending on humidity levels in your house.
🍪 Related Lemon and Cookie Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Zesty Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 lemons zested
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 cups all purpose flour 360g
Assembly
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- lemon curd store bought or homemade
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large bowl, combine grated lemon zest from 2 lemons and sugar. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and clumpy.½ cup granulated sugar, 2 lemons
- In a large bowl or standmixer, combine butter, lemon zest sugar, and salt. Beat until light and creamy.1 cup butter, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Add lemon juice, egg yolk, and beat to combine.1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 large egg yolk
- Sift flour right into the same bowl and fold until a crumbly dough forms.3 cups all purpose flour
- Dump dough out onto a clean work surface and press it together into a disc. Roll out the disc to ¼” thick with a rolling pin.
- Cut out cookies. I used a round linzer cookie cutter with scalloped edges. Re-roll scraps as needed. If your cookie dough is sticking to the work surface or your rolling pin, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Use a metal spatula to help transfer the cut cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. You can place them right next to each other.
- If you will be filling them with lemon curd, use a small cookie cutter or the linzer cookie cutter center to cut out the middles from half of the cookies.
- Chill the cookies on the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Arrange the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets so there is at least 1 cm of space between the cookies. You don’t have to worry about the cookies spreading.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until barely golden on the bottom. You don’t want the cookies to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Assembly
- While the cookies cool, prepare the glaze by stirring together powdered sugar and lemon juice, adding a tablespoon of lemon juice at a time to get a thick glaze consistency.1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze, lift up the cookie to allow the excess to drip off, and place right side up on the cooling rack. If you will be filling the cookies with lemon curd like I did, only dip the tops of the cookies with the middle cut out.
- Use a piping bag or spoon to add lemon curd onto the bottoms of the whole cookies. Add the glazed cookie tops, press to attach, and serve!lemon curd
Sheri Painter
Made these for a bridal shower. Everyone loved them so much I now am making them for the wedding !! Delicious!!!!
Nina
I made them for Easter and my whole family loved them!
I also used gluten free flour, and they turned out perfect.
Bella B.
I personally don’t like shortbread, but my parents loved them and thought they were fantastic. ❤️
Also your steps are really easy to follow and I appreciate that you added the measurements for the ingredients in the steps. 😁