Name: Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1/3 cup sugar; 1 cup flour; 1 tsp lemon zest; 4 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/3 cup powdered sugar; 1 Tbsp lemon juice

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Lemon-flavored baked goods make me think of sunshine and warm weather. These lemon shortbread cookies are packed full of lemony flavor. They are a perfect complement to your morning coffee or tea or make a great afternoon treat. The butter flavor ensures these aren’t super sweet, but rather melt in your mouth.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

They actually taste like lemon. I’ve tried many recipes where there’s a *hint* of lemon when I take a bite, but really all I taste is a sugar cookie. If I’m eating a lemon cookie, I want it to really taste like lemon. I tested a bunch of different amounts of lemon juice/zest and this combination produced the best lemony butter cookies. The glaze is optional but really brings out the lemon flavor as well. (If you don’t want to top them with glaze, no worries. I’ve put enough lemon in the dough that you’ll still get a lemon-flavored cookie).

Can’t get enough lemon? Then you’ll love this lemon and elderflower cake, these lemon cut out sugar cookies, and this lemon poke cake topped with a coconut frosting.

They aren’t too sweet. This is a lemon shortbread cookie recipe meaning there is a higher ratio of butter than a sugar cookie.The butter creates a less sweet taste and melt in your mouth lemon shortbread cookies. Because there isn’t much sugar in the actual dough, you can still add the glaze and it not be super sweet. Plus, the tartness of the lemon helps counteract the sweetness of the sugar.

They store well. Once baked, pop them into an air-tight container and they will keep on your counter for up to a week or in your fridge for longer (I wouldn’t go more than 10 days). You can also freeze the dough if you want to make it ahead of time. No need to thaw when baking. Just slice the frozen dough and bake until slightly golden brown.

How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies

First, you will need to make sure the butter is at room temperature.

Quick tip: I always forget to set the butter out for recipes that need room-temperature butter. Instead of waiting an hour or so for it to soften, just microwave a glass bowl for 2 minutes. Place the hot container (use potholders) over the butter you need to soften and let sit for 5 minutes. The butter will be good to go!

Blend the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy, or about 2-3 minutes. Once blended, measure out the other ingredients, giving the fat and sugar a bit more time to combine.

Add flour and salt. Mix until combined. You don’t want to overwork your shortbread dough or it could lose the melt in your mouth texture.

Finally, add the lemon zest and juice and mix until everything is combined. Shape the dough into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap. This will help the cookies keep their shape in the oven. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. You can make this dough ahead of time and keep the dough in the fridge overnight (or in the freezer for up to 2 months if wrapped and sealed properly).

Once ready to go into the oven, slice into 1/2 in rounds and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 9-11 until the edges become slightly browned. Let cool on a tray for a few minutes before removing.

How to Make the Lemon Glaze

Making a glaze for cookies is really quite simple. For this lemon glaze, you only need two ingredients: powdered sugar and lemon juice. Simply combine the two and mix until it is a consistency that coats the back of your spoon.

The goal is to have the icing be thin, but not pour over the sides of each cookie. The icing will harden once dry, so even if some fall over the sides, it’s not the end of the world and they will still be delicious.

Once the lemon shortbread cookies are completely cooled, dip them into the icing, completely covering the top. Let some of the icing drip off and then place on a piece of foil or parchment paper to dry.

These are good to go once the icing is dry. Lemon shortbread cookies are some of my favorites (they kind of remind me of a softer version of the Girl Scout cookies, Lemon Ups).

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the difference between shortbread cookies and sugar cookies?

A shortbread cookie recipe typically only has a few ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, and salt. It has a dense, rich butter flavory and the texture is short or crumbly. Sugar cookies however are light and fluffy. They use a leavening agent such as baking soda or baking power and tend to have more sugar.

Should you use parchment paper when baking shortbread cookies?

The best way to bake shortbread is on an unlined, ungreased baking sheet as it helps the cookie dough keep its shape while baking. Simply scrape off the crumbs, let your baking sheet cool, and then place your next batch on the sheet. Remember, you want to keep this dough cold at all times so be sure to give your baking sheet enough time too cool.

What type of flour should you use when making shortbread?

I typically use all purpose flour for my shortbread recipes because that’s what I have around the house. AP flour works just fine with this recipe. However, shortbread cookies are basically like a short crust pastry dough (minus the water). So, if you have pastry flour, this will make the cookies extra soft and crumbly. Interested in learning more about how to use baking flours? Check out this guide to the different types of baking flour and ways to use them to learn more.

How long do these lemon shortbread cookies last?

In a sealed container, these cookies should last for a week to ten days. These do not have to be refrigerated if you don’t want them to be. The glaze will set in about 10-20 minutes and then you can stack them in a storage container.

Looking for more shortbread recipes? Here are some of my other favorites:

Happy baking!

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