Lemon Shortbread Cookies
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Crisp edges, a tender crumbly texture, and a bright lemon flavor make these easy lemon shortbread cookies a must-try for any lemon lover!
The simple ingredients come together effortlessly to create a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a simple lemon glaze adds an extra burst of citrus. Whether baking a big batch for a bake sale or just craving a classic shortbread, this recipe delivers the best results every time.
As a productivity manager, I truly believe that great recipes shouldn’t take hours to make. That’s why I’m always creating and sharing simple, time-saving ideas that you can enjoy without the stress.
These are the best easy tea cookies. Like these Eggless Shortbread cookies these light cookies take just a few simple ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The fresh lemon zest and juice add a wonderful flavor to every bite.
- Shortbread dough comes together quickly with a hand or stand mixer.
- Perfect balance of butter and sugar for a sweet, tender, buttery texture.
- The lemon icing is light, tangy, and pairs perfectly with the buttery cookies.
- Simple steps make this a great recipe for beginners or experienced bakers.
- Ideal for the holiday season or any time you crave an easy lemon shortbread cookie recipe.
Ingredients for homemade lemon cookies
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Salt
- Egg yolk
- All-purpose flour
Lemon Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
Equipment and kitchen tools
- Electric mixer
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
How to make lemon shortbread cookies
Step 1 – With an electric hand mixer, beat your butter until well—creamed. Add sugar and lemon zest and mix until creamy.
Step 2 – Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and salt, stirring until well combined, and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are well incorporated.
Step 3 – Add egg yolk and beat until combined. Gradually add flour and use a silicone spatula until well incorporated (you will need to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl several times, as the mixture is fairly dry and crumbs tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl).
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Step 4 –Transfer the dough to a clean surface and use your hands to form it into a cohesive ball.
Flatten into a disk (about 1″ thick), cover with clear wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
Step 5 – Preheat oven to 350F. Once the dough has chilled, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it out to about ¼” thickness.
Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes, transferring them to a greased cookie sheet and placing them at least 1″ apart.
Step 6 – Once you have cut out all the shapes, you can recombine the scraps and roll them out and cut them out again to get the maximum number of cookies from your dough.
Bake at 350F for 8—10 minutes and allow cookies to cool completely before adding the lemon glaze.
Prepare frosting.
Step 7 – Frost with piping bag and tip.
Tips for the Best Results
- Use room-temperature butter for easy mixing and a smooth cookie dough.
- A paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer helps evenly incorporate ingredients without overmixing.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently to make sure all of the ingredients are fully combined.
- Chill the shortbread dough for at least 15 minutes to prevent spreading.
- Roll out the dough on sheets of parchment paper or a lightly floured work surface for even thickness.
- Use your favorite cookie cutter for fun shapes, or press with the bottom of a measuring cup for a simple design.
- Bake on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment or a baking mat for even browning.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before adding the lemon glaze.
Substitutions and Variations
- Replace lemon juice with Meyer lemons or blood orange juice for a twist on the classic shortbread.
- For extra lemon zest flavor, mix lemon sugar by rubbing fresh lemon zest into granulated sugar before adding to the dough.
- If baking for a bake sale or gifting, store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
- Add a touch of brown sugar for a slightly deeper caramelized flavor.
- Freeze unbaked dough scraps in a freezer bag or between sheets of wax paper for later use.
FAQs About This Recipe
Yes! Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze them for longer storage.
Be sure to chill the dough before rolling and baking. Using too-soft butter or skipping the chilling step can cause cookies to spread.
Classic shortbread doesn’t use baking powder, but adding a small amount can create a slightly lighter texture.
More fun cookie recipes
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- With an electric hand mixer, beat your butter until well-creamed. Add sugar and lemon zest and mix until creamy.
- Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and salt, stirring until well combined, and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add egg yolk and beat until combined.
- Gradually add flour and use a silicone spatula until well incorporated (you will need to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl several times, as the mixture is fairly dry and crumbs tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl).
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface and use your hands to form it into a cohesive ball.
- Flatten into a disk (about 1″ thick), cover with clear wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Once the dough has chilled, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it out to about ¼” thickness.
- Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes, transferring them to a greased cookie sheet and placing them at least 1″ apart.
- Once you have cut out all the shapes, you can re-combine the scraps and roll them out and cut them out again to get the maximum number of cookies from your dough.
- Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes and allow cookies to cool completely before filling them with lemon cream.
Nutrition
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Beautiful cookies and just as described.
Shortbread, delicious, and then adding lemon to it, the best ever.
Visiting via A pinch of Joy.
My entries this week #96+97
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