Soft, thick and full of fresh lemon flavor, these Shortbread Lemon Cookies are so good..and so different from crispy shortbread recipes. Wonderful served with some fresh berries!
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Why you’ll LOVE this recipe for Shortbread Lemon Cookies. Let’s discuss!
- If you’re a lemon lover, this is your cookie.
- These cookies are thick, soft sugar cookies – unlike classic shortbread cookies – with a (big) hit of lemon.
- This is an easy recipe with simple ingredients- no cookie cutters or special equipment needed.
- Homemade cookies make a really nice dessert for all kinds of occasions, especially during the holiday season with a large bowl of fresh berries after a main dish like Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage, or substantial salad like Shrimp Salad with Lemon Ranch Dressing.
- Make these delicious lemon short cookies for gifting too.
Love shortbread? You’ve got to try these Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the full recipe and instructions, just scroll down to the recipe card.
- Flour mixture: Just regular all-purpose flour here, but we’ll sift it first for an extra fine crumb.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works, but my favorite is Baker’s Sugar which is easy to find in most well-stocked grocery stores.
- Confectioners Sugar: Just a half cup sifted, to work out any lumps for the lemon glaze that goes over the top. Also known as “powdered sugar”.
- Butter: Unsalted butter, room temperature, which is done by leaving it on the kitchen counter for 30-45 minutes to make it easy to whip with an electric mixer for best results.
- Fresh Lemons: We’ll use some juice and zest for the inside and the top, both add wonderful citrus flavor to this recipe.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Bonus points that this Shortbread Lemon cookie recipe is made in just one bowl.
Here’s all you do:
- Beat butter and the regular sugar with the lemon juice and one teaspoon of lemon zest into a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until all the ingredients are incorporated and a bit fluffy, two minutes or so.
- Add the sifted, dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and do a quick mix on medium speed, just enough to have the ingredients hold together like in the photo above.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Prep your baking sheet, add the shortbread dough, pat it down, bake, frost with lemon icing, then cool, slice and enjoy!
How to Prep the Baking Pan
To prep the cookie dough in the pan, here’s all you do:
- Use a 9-inch round spring form pan with a removable bottom. Lightly spray it with non-stick baking spray as extra insurance to remove the cookie round when it’s cool before slicing.
- Tip! Set the tray on a cookie sheet (also called baking sheets) before putting in the oven for easy removal.
- Dump the dough directly from the mixing bowl into the prepared pan, then pat it gently with your fingers.
- No need to press too hard, this is a thick, soft shortbread. A light touch does the trick.
- In the photo above, the left side isn’t patted down, the right side is.
Next, Bake and Frost
- After the shortbread comes out of the oven and let it cool while you mix together the icing ingredients to spoon over the top. You can see from the photo I left a about a half-inch edge around the sides.
- Let it set for at least 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
Expert Tips
- Unsalted butter works best with this recipe.
- Sifting the ingredients in a small bowl as directed makes a big difference in the final texture for the best cookies. The shortbread will be tender, the icing will be smooth.
- To soften your butter before using, set it out on the counter for 20-30 minutes prior to starting the recipe. You should be able to make a light indentation in it with your finger and you’re good to go.
Serving Ideas
- If you love all things lemon, these cookies are delicious served with a bowl of fresh berries and some hot tea. Have it for dessert with these easy recipes.
- This is the perfect cookie when you want a sweet treat.
- You deserve shortbread after eating a Superfood Salad or this Blackberry Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts.
- People love this Shredded Chicken Burrito Bowl which is so full of flavor and great textures.
- Sometimes a sandwich is in order, and here’s a spin on the old standby, Naan BLT with Sundried Tomato Mayo.
- Citrus Chicken Thighs are a great to serve to keep the whole citrus theme going, and Taco Pie with Crescent Rolls? Well, you’ll just have to try it to see how easy and good it is!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The unbaked dough can be made, well-wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 60 days. Just let it defrost for 30-40 minutes, then press in the prepared pan and proceed as directed.
Yes! It’s no problem to double this recipe, and no adjustments are needed, except to use a second baking pan. You could also use a 9 x 13″ baking pan size for a doubled recipe.
If that’s the case, I would recommend using a non-stick pan that’s been sprayed with non-stick baking spray, or lined with parchment paper, and then sprayed with baking spray. Leave some parchment paper hanging on the sides like a sling, about 3″, to easily lift the cookies out when cooled.
Let the iced cookies cool for about 30 minutes, then cut them using a sharp chef’s knife. I carefully wipe the crumbs off the knife after every slice using a thick, soft, clean kitchen towel. Also, don’t let the cookies cool much longer than 30 minutes before slicing. You want them lightly set, just enough to slice.
Well-sealed in an airtight container, these cookies will keep for several days.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Triple Chocolate Cookies: Fudgy and rich tasting, almost like a brownie.
- Ginger Pistachio Biscotti: A wonderful cookie for dunking in coffee or tea.
- Sweets Things: A round-up of favorite desserts.
- Hawaiian Shortbread Cookies: A buttery favorite with chocolate chips.
- Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies: Everyone has a favorite, and this is mine.
- Butterscotch Shortbread Cookies: An absolute keeper, the flavor of these is exceptional.
- Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies: Another all-timenfavorite cookie.
- White Chocolate Snowflake Cookies: So pretty and delicious.
- Old Fashioned Apple Cake Recipe: A favorite, tender cake recipe.
If you’ve made these Shortbread Lemon Cookies, or any recipe on Studio Delicious, please rate the recipe and tell me about it in the comments below!
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Shortbread Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter, unsalted, softened
- ½ cup Sugar, granulated
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest, freshly grated
- 2¼ cups Flour, all purpose, sifted
- ½ cup Powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest, freshly grated
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9" inch spring form pan with a removable bottom by spraying it lightly on the bottom and sides with non-stick baking spray. Add the softened butter to a medium-sized bowl, as well as the sugar, fresh lemon juice and the lemon zest. Beat this mixture at medium-high speed with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides occasionally with a spatula, until its creamy and combined, 2-3 minutes. Add the sifted flour to the bowl, and beat at low speed with the mixer until it resembles coarse crumbs, just 1-2 minutes. Place all of the loose dough in the spring form pan, then lightly press it down with your clean fingers until its patted together and set. No need to press down super hard, just pat it lightly. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned, remove from oven and cool completely. For the lemon glaze, place the powdered sugar and lemon zest in a bowl and whisk until all lumps are removed. Cool the shortbread completely, about 30 minutes, then spread the lemon glaze over the top, leaving about a ½" around the edge. Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest over the top. Let it stand until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into approximate 2 ½" slices to serve.
Notes
- Unsalted butter works best with this recipe.
- Sifting the all-purpose flour and the powdered sugar for the icing makes a big difference in the final texture. The shortbread will be tender, the icing will be smooth.
- Make sure the butter is softened before using, just set it out 20-30 minutes prior to starting the recipe. You should be able to make a light indentation with your finger.
- The unbaked dough can be made, well-wrapped and frozen for up to 60 days. Just let it defrost for 30-40 minutes, then press in the prepared pan and proceed as directed.
Nutrition
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
Source: Studio Delicious, adapted from Land O’Lakes. This recipe was updated with new text July, 2024.
This lemon shortbread is delicious and the lemon flavor is just right! 🙂
Great, thanks!
It looks really good and tasty. I am going to try this at home, and I am sure my family will love it.
Great, thank you! 🙂
This Lemon Shortbread Cookie recipe was great and everybody loved it. Not only were they super tasty, but your recipe was also easy to follow and it was fun to make. Thank you so much for sharing.
Great, so glad you enjoyed them!
My son will surely love this Lemon Shortbread Cookies! They look sooo mouthwatering!
Great! Enjoy!
These lemon flavored shortbread cookies look so perfect and delicious. I cant wait to bake this for my family. Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU! 🙂
This looks fantastic. So buttery and delicious. A perfect treat for upcoming Easter and Spring. I just saved this recipe. Can’t wait to make this. Thanks!
Hope you like them!
So delicious and easier than I thought to make! Thank you!
Great, thank you!
Using lemon in these cookies adds freshness to the buttery shortbread. Delicious cookies!
Exactly! Thanks for commenting 🙂
Shortbread is an all time favorite in our house. The lemon glaze puts this one over to top. Perfect with my afternoon tea.
Love these with hot tea too, I hope you enjoy!
This is my kind of cookie! I love lemon flavored anything so this is going to be great with my morning tea!
Great, these are awesome with a cup of hot tea!
Baked these for a full 35 minutes, but the middle was soft and had a hint of a dull, raw flavor. Where is the characteristic shortbread :”crumble”? Also, I followed the directions and used unsalted butter, but a pinch of salt is needed to enhance the flavors. Disappointing for a shortbread lover.
So sorry you had that experience! In the post I mention that this is a thick, soft shortbread, not crumbly in texture. There’s a lot of tang with the lemon icing too. Thank you for commenting!
Made this cookies tonight for a small gathering. OMG. sure hope they last till then. Texture and taste were awesome. will be a go recipe again and again
Im so glad you like them! They are hard to stop eating! 🙂
That’s so great, I’m glad you like them! They were hard for me to stop eating too 🙂
Thank you for a delicious recipe. Just a friendly FYI…”beat mixture until it resembles COARSE (not “course”) crumbs”.
Retired Teacher 😉
You are so nice to tell met that…thank you and I’ll get it fixed! 🙂