Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Lemon Shortbread Cookies are so good. And who doesn’t love a good cookie?
Our no-fail lemon shortbread cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy in the center. The lemon flavor is delicious without being too tangy. But I’ll give a fair warning: they are addictive. 🙂
When life gives you lemons – start baking! Lemon Shortbread Cookies are among my favorite cookies, and Glazed Lemon Cake is definitely my all-time favorite summer cake.
There are only five ingredients, plus lemon. And they’re totally familiar ingredients, so it’s pretty much impossible to go wrong! People seem to love the way the vanilla mellows the tart lemon flavor.
Lemon Shortbread Cookies Highlights
- Loved by people of all ages.
- These cookies are perfect for sharing.
- Uses five everyday ingredients.
- Great for parties, school events, or a simple family dessert.
- Easy to adapt with different citrus flavors or decorative toppings.
These thin shortbread cookies have a wonderful combination of textures. They are crispy all along the edges and then ever so soft and chewy in the center.
More Delicious Lemon Desserts
This is the kind of shortbread cookie recipe you’ll keep reaching for over and over again. The zesty lemon combined with vanilla sweetness makes this a fabulous summer cookie recipe.
But I’ll admit I’m biased. My Oma made these cookies for family picnics all the time. In German, they are called ‘Zitronenkekse.’ When we used to have a picnic, it was just assumed Oma brought her Zitronenkekse.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
BUTTER – Use unsalted to control the saltiness, perfect for blending with sugars to make our cookies deliciously soft.
SUGAR – We mix granulated and brown sugar in the dough for a lovely, sweet depth and moisture, while powdered sugar makes our glaze perfectly smooth and shiny.
LEMON – Fresh lemon juice and zest are key! They go into both the dough and glaze, adding that zingy, fresh taste that makes these cookies a real treat.
EGGS – A whole egg plus an extra yolk makes our cookies richer and chewier. When we make Lemon Shortbread Cookies, it’s all about getting the perfect texture!
FLOUR – All-purpose flour is just right for these cookies; it keeps them light and flaky.
How To Make These Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
- Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. Mix in egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.
- Add flour and salt to create a dough.
- Shape dough into two disks, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Roll out the dough, cut it into shapes, and place it on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack.
- Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest for glaze; drizzle over cooled cookies.
Recipe Success Tips
Don’t rush when adding ingredients to the mixing bowl. Slowly adding the flour is the key to a good, smooth shortbread batter.
Chill the batter in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. This stiffens the batter so it will hold its shape. If you skip this step, your batter may spread out into a thin layer, resulting in very thin cookies that will fall apart.
Leftovers and Storage
STORE – To keep your cookies tasting as fresh as the day you baked them, store them in an airtight container. They’ll stay delicious for up to a week. Just make sure they’re completely cool before tucking them away to maintain that delightful texture.
FREEZE – If you want to enjoy these little treats later, you can freeze the unglazed cookies. They’ll be good for up to three months. When you’re ready for a cookie fix, just thaw them out and add the glaze to bring them back to life.
REHEAT – These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature. If you’ve stored them in the fridge, just let them sit out for a bit before serving, so the glaze softens up and they taste just right.
MAKE AHEAD – Planning ahead? You can prepare the dough the night before and leave it in the fridge. The next day, you’ll be all set to roll, cut, and bake. It’s a fantastic way to divide the work and still enjoy fresh-baked cookies.
More Easy and Delicious Desserts
Pinwheel Cookies – with a patriotic twists
Cherry Crumb Cake – This is another easy German dessert.
Strudel Cookies – quick, easy, and elegant puff pastry dessert
Lemn Dump Cake – If you love lemons, this dessert is for you!
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice + zest of one lemon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a disk, wrap them in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until firm.
- Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, prepare the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and thick. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or lemon juice as needed.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or drizzle the lemon glaze on top of each cookie. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.