Lemon Shortbread Cookies
36 2-inch cookies
These easy to make Lemon Shortbread Cookies are buttery, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth amazing, made with just six simple ingredients!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest from about half a medium lemon
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice from about ¼ of a medium lemon
For the Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice from about half a medium lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest for garnish, from about half a medium lemon
Instructions
To Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) or 140°C if using a fan oven. Line three half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and lemon zest on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough starts to come together, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides frequently.
- Add the lemon juice and mix until the dough is well formed, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat into a disc. Roll the dough into ¼-inch thickness.
- Use 2-inch cookie cutters to cut desired shapes.
- Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, prick the centers with a fork then bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the shortbread looks dry and lightly golden. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
To Make the Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth. Add remaining lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Dip the cookies into the glaze and allow the excess to run off. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle lemon zest over the cookies. Allow the glaze to set completely (about one hour) before stacking.
Notes
- Cream the butter and sugar together well. It's important that the powdered sugar dissolves completely into the butter during that first step. I suggest using a stand mixer for this, but you can also use a hand-held mixer if needed.
- Avoid overmixing the dough. If the shortbread cookie dough is mixed too much, the gluten in the flour will be overworked, and the cookies will become hard and tough. After adding the flour, mix the dough until it's just combined.
- Chilling should not be necessary. I found that these cookies baked up wonderfully without chilling the dough. But, if it's particularly hot in your kitchen today, you may want to chill the dough for an hour or so before baking.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg