Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread Cookies are a must and these Lemon Shortbread are the perfect Lemon Lovers melt in your mouth Cookie. Delicious not just at Holiday Time!
I am a huge shortbread cookie lover! Never fail, every holiday season my Mom’s Shortbread Cookies would be front and centre.
And for good reason they are amazing.It was always hard to decide what were your favourite, because when you took a bite of one it instantly became your favourite until the next one came along.
Recipe ingredients
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioners or icing sugar
- Lemon zest
- Flour – all purpose at least 11% protein or higher
- Salt
Lemon glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice
- Cream or milk
Why use powdered/icing sugar?
Powdered sugar will help keep the cookies soft for longer and it helps to keep the cookies from spreading while baking.
How to make Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Sift together the flour and salt.
In a large bowl with a wooden spoon mix together the butter, sugar and zest. Add the sifted flour mixture a little at a time, stirring between additions. Once the dough starts to come together move to a flat surface and knead into a compact ball.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. You can also shape the dough into a log or two, refrigerate then slice and bake.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut out cookies. Place cookies on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes while the oven is pre-heating. Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C).
Bake cookies for approximately 12 minutes. Let cool completely before drizzling with glaze.
Lemon glaze
In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and cream, if too thin add more sugar too thick add either more lemon juice or cream.
How to Measure Flour
The correct way to measure flour is to spoon the flour into the cup measurement and level it off with the blade of a knife. The best flour to use for cut out cookies is a high protein all purpose flour, 12-14 % protein is what you are looking for.
How to make Shortbread Cookies without a cookie cutter:
With this Shortbread dough you can actually just roll the dough into a log shape, then slice it and bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I would probably refrigerate the log (before cutting) for about 30 minutes. Or you can roll it out and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.
Can this Shortbread Recipe be made with a stand mixer?
If you can’t or don’t want to knead the dough by hand, then yes a stand up mixer using the paddle attachment will work just fine.
I would only knead up to a point, when the dough just starts to come together (or even better, very coarse crumb mixture) and then knead the dough by hand.
How to keep cookies from spreading
To keep the cookies from spreading it is best to beat the butter and sugar just until combined and not creamed (of course this also depends on the type of cookie), for some cookies including some icing sugar in the mixture also keeps the cookies from spreading.
And probably most important of all, is to use a higher protein flour with at least 11.5- 12% protein count.
And don’t forget to chill the dough for at least 1 hour and again the cut out cookies before baking while the oven is pre-heating. The main reason for chilling the cookie dough before baking is to solidify the fat in the cookies.
As the cookies are baking, the chilled fat in the dough will take longer to melt then room temperature dough fat. Therefore the cookies will spread less.
How to Store Shortbread Cookies
The baked cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I sometimes store mine in the fridge because I like cold cookies. They will last up to 10 days by storing them in the fridge.
How to Freeze Shortbread Cookies
To freeze the shortbread cookies, place parchment paper in between the layers of the completely cooled cookies this prevents them from sticking together when they are in the containers for freezing, or you can also place the baked cooled cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze them, then move the frozen cookies to either airtight bags or containers. Baked Shortbread Cookies will last up to 6 months in the freezer.
The unbaked cookie dough can also be frozen. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
How to make the Perfect Shortbread Base for Bar Cookies
There are some delicious Bar Cookies that call for a simple Shortbread Base such as Lemon Cheese Cake Bars or my personal favourites Coconut Jam Squares. All you need are three ingredients, butter, sugar and flour to make the perfect Shortbread base for a Bar Cookie.
5 Must Bake Shortbread Cookies
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without shortbread so here are another five recipes that should definitely be on your baking list! Fast, easy and melt in your mouth perfection!
- Almond Crescent Cookies
- The Best Simple Two Way Shortbread Cookies
- Easy Chocolate Chip Whipped Shortbread
- Shortbread Cookies One Dough Two Ways
- Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
So if Shortbread Cookies are a must on your Holiday Baking List, then I hope you give one or even all of these a try, and let me know how you like them. Enjoy!
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
FOR THE SHORTBREAD
- 1¼ cups + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (at least 11% protein or higher) (180 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe double or triple this amount)
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons butter (softened)* (155 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe double or triple this amount)
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered / icing sugar (75 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe double or triple this amount)
- zest 1 lemon
*If you use unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Be sure to use a good quality butter, apparently this year 2022, store brand butter quality is not what it used to be. Less fat could mean a dry not so tasty cookie.
LEMON GLAZE
- 1¼ cups powdered / icing sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon whole / whipping cream or milk
Instructions
- Sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a wooden spoon mix together the butter, sugar and zest. Add the sifted flour mixture a little at a time, stirring between additions. Once the dough starts to come together (even if you haven't added all the flour), move to a flat surface and knead into a compact ball. (If you need extra flour add one tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too crumbly add more butter, a little at a time).
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. You can also shape the dough into a log or two, refrigerate then slice and bake.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut out cookies. Place cookies on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 15 – 20 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C).
- Bake the cookies for approximately 12 minutes. Let cool completely before drizzling with glaze. Enjoy.
LEMON GLAZE
- In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and cream, if too thin add more sugar too thick add either more lemon juice or cream.
Surely sounds yummy! Wish I had all of the ingredients to make them today! I’m snowed in, and it’s still coming down! Missing ingredients have been added to my list!
Hi Mary, I remember those snowed in days (and yes I miss it), hope you enjoy the cookies, let me know. 🙂
Just wondering if they are lemony enough with the sugary icing?
Hi Jann, I think it all depends on your taste, but they were lemony enough for us. If you want add more zest to the dough. Hope that helps.
Can you double this recipe?
Hi Mari, I’m sure you can I don’t see why not. 🙂
Can I use this cookie dough in a cookie press?
Hi Cathy, I have only used a cookie press a few times, but I think it could work, you could always try with a bit of the dough and see if works. Let me know. 🙂
Hi Rosemary, can this recipe and others be easily adapted using gluten free flour for people with celiac disease? Can’t wait to make and try the biscuits.
Hi Rosanna, I am sorry I really don’t know because I have never made it gluten free. You could try it and see, if you do let me know how it goes. Have a great week.
Did you try the lemon shortbread cookies with GF flour? I’d love to try these!
Hi Crystal, I have never tried it with GF flour, but if you do let me know how it goes.
Thanks for all the delicious recipes I hope to try all of them! Merry Christmas 🕊🎄⛄❤🌴
Hi Nancy, thanks so much and Merry Christmas to you too! Have a great week.
I will be making all of these for my book club Christmas brunch! 😁
Thank you!
Hi Lori, thanks I hope you all enjoy them. Have a great weekend.
Hello, I tried out your recipe and I followed the right measurements and directions. But when I tried to bring the dough together, it became extremely crumbly and I kneaded it for a long time but nothing happened and I got frustrated so I decided to give up.. what should I do if this happens again?
Thanks
Hi Dakota, you should add the flour slowly, (depending on how you measure your flour, spoon it into the cup and then level it off with a knife), into the creamed butter, sometimes you need less flour and sometimes more, once it starts to come together move it to a flat surface and knead it together, then you can add more if needed, but in the future if you find this happens again just add a little more butter (a little at a time to bring the dough together. Hope that helps.
What kind of flour to use? Plain, self-rising, or even cake.
Hi Jeanna, all purpose flour is plain flour, hope that helps.
Lemon and shortbread….can’t ask for anything more. I’m drooling.
Hi Ann, thanks so much, I agree a delicious combination. 🙂
I do not have cream, will milk work for the lemon glaze or do you know of an alternative? And how did you put the glaze on? Just drizzle? Or do you have to put it in a bag and pipe drizzle?
Also are these sweet? Do you think the confectioners sugar can be cut or will it affect the recipe? My parents do not have a sweet tooth.
Thanks
Hi Vivian, yes you can use milk instead of the cream. I just drizzled it with a fork or even a spoon works well. Put a small amount on the fork or spoon and drizzle back and forth. I would not cut the sugar or it will alter the taste and the dough. They are sweet because they are cookies, maybe if you left off the glaze it would make them less sweet. Let me know.
Does the glaze harden enough for the cookies to be stackable?
Hi Rachel, the glaze does harden enough in my opinion. Put them in the fridge to get it even harder if you want. Hope that helps.
Can I make the dough a day before and leave in the fridge?
Hi Sidney, sure that should be no problem. Hope you enjoy them.
Should you measure the flour before or after sifting?
Hi Katie, measure the flour before sifting.
How long will these keep in the fridge? Can the be frozen? If so, how do you recommend wrapping/storing them to avoid freezer burn? Thanks in advance.
Hi Kelly, in the fridge they will up to 10 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. I think the best way is to layer them in single layers between parchment paper, in an airtight container or freezer bag. Hope that helps.
You never say in your ingredient list how much cornstarch? You have it in parentheses but not listed in ingredient list? Why is that?
Hi Nancy, I was talking about it in general there is no cornstarch in this recipe. 🙂
These look fantastic, but am I missing something? I don’t see corn starch in the recipes but it’s mentioned aboce.
Hi Kris, I kind of worded that wrong, I have corrected it, there is no corn starch in the Lemon Shortbread cookies. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Hi. Other short bread recipes have cornstarch in them. Will cornstarch make the cookies hard? Just curious….. I made your recipe and we all loved it. Thanks.
Hi Leslie, thanks glad you enjoyed them. Yes some shortbread have cornstarch (for example my Mom’s best shortbread https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/shortbread-cookies/ has cornstarch). Cornstarch actually makes the cookie softer and flakier. Some people find them drier but I love them like that. Hope that helps.