Lemon Shortbread Cookies baked to share
If you're a big-time lemon dessert lover, then these Lemon Shortbread Cookies are a must-make treat! They are melt-in-your-mouth, buttery soft cookies packed with the perfect amount of lemon flavor and topped with a simple lemon glaze and a sprinkling of lemon zest. They're so good; you simply won't be able to eat just one!
Why this bake works
These flavorful Lemon Shortbread Cookies are adapted from the popular Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies recipe!
This method requires only 8 ingredients (no eggs are needed!), yields 2 1/2 dozen cookies (when using a 1 tablespoon-size cookie scoop), and perfect as is or with a simple lemon glaze and a sprinkle of lemon zest!
These thick, buttery soft cookies could seriously not be any easier to make and your friends and family will love them! Enjoy!
What goes in
The following ingredients are needed to make these house-made lemon shortbread cookies. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- Unsalted Butter. Use what unsalted butter you prefer, but I do recommend a high-fat (82%-85% butterfat) unsalted butter brand. I used Kerrygold, but Plugrá, Minerva, Cabot, Vermont Creamery, or Vital Farms are also good.
- Powdered Sugar. This ingredient gives the lemon shortbread a nice, tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Lemon Juice and Zest. Try using fresh lemons over bottled lemon juice because you will need the lemon juice and zest. The taste is just better too!
- Baking Powder. Traditional shortbread does not include any leavening agents, but this lemon shortbread recipe does. It gives the cookies a slight lift, making it a little less dense.
And that's right… zero eggs are needed to make this lemon shortbread cookie recipe! Skipping the egg gives you a nice, slightly crisp, and crumbly texture.
For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.
How it comes together
Below is a brief overview of how to make these melt-in-your-mouth lemon shortbread cookies. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements, visit the method card below.
Step 1. Whisk the dry ingredients together. All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Try doing this in a separate bowl.
Step 2. Mix the wet ingredients. This includes unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Step 3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Step 4. Scoop and roll the cookie dough into balls. I used a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop.
Step 5. Flatten the tops of each cookie. I used the bottom of a glass that I kept coating in all-purpose flour to keep the cookies from sticking.
Step 6. Bake the cookies at 300ºF for 15-20 minutes. 18 minutes worked well for me. While one baking sheet of cookies bakes, I kept the cookie dough in the refrigerator.
Step 7. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Step 8. Top the cookies with lemon glaze. You can either dip them into the glze or use a spoon (as shown). Place them on a wire cooling rack with a sheet of parchment paper underneath to let any extra glaze drip off.
Storage
Keep the lemon shortbread cookies stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or 4 months if you keep them in the freezer. If the cookies are glazed, make sure the glaze is dry before storing. Try layering the glazed lemon cookies with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
Baker notes
Here are three helpful tips for making the best lemon shortbreads!
Number of lemons. You will need 2 small lemons (around 200 grams total), 1 for the cookies and the other for the glaze. If you're planning to skip the lemon glaze, you will only need 1 small lemon.
Chilling the dough. If baking these cookies on smaller cookie sheets, one at a time, Try keeping the cookie dough stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake the next batch.
In my kitchen, when it gets warmer, I find the dough tends to spread more during baking if just let out at room temperature while making several batches.
Lemon glaze. You can easily enjoy these lemon shortbread cookies without the lemon glaze—which is just made up of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a little milk—but holy smokes, are they ever good together. Seriously.
- Yield 30 cookies
- Prep 15 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Total 35 minutes
- Calories 114
Ingredients
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- Lemon Zest (from 1 small lemon)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tbsp Milk
Method
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until well blended.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, gradually adding in the whisked dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Adjust oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center), heat the oven to 300ºF, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Using a spoon or a 1 tablespoon-size cookie scoop, roll the cookie dough into balls. Place roughly 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. You can also use a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop which will yield slightly fewer cookies.
- With the bottom of a glass, gently press down on the tops of each cookie to flatten slightly. Try dipping the bottom of the glass in some flour so the cookies won't stick to the glass.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 300ºF or until the edges are a light golden brown. For reference, mine baked for 18 minutes. If baking these cookies on smaller cookie sheets, one at a time, Try keeping the cookie dough stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake the next batch.
- The cookies will still be very soft—let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5-10 minutes first before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until well combined. Using a spoon, drizzle some lemon glaze over each cookie. You can also dip the tops of each cookie into the glaze. Let any extra glaze drip off, then enjoy!
Storing Cookies
- Store cookies at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Lemon shortbread cookies can also be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months. Place them in a well sealed container separating cookies with a layer of parchment or wax paper (if the cookies are glazed).
Baker notes
You will need 2 small lemons (around 200 grams total), 1 for the cookies and the other for the glaze. If you're planning to skip the lemon glaze, you will only need 1 small lemon.
If baking these cookies on smaller cookie sheets, one at a time, Try keeping the cookie dough stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake the next batch. In my kitchen, when it gets warmer, I find the dough tends to spread more during baking if just let out at room temperature while making several batches.
