These Lemon Shortbread Cookies combine bright lemon flavor with a lightly sweet shortbread cookie. Highly recommend for a holiday cookie tin, as these cookies are great for make-ahead.
When I was in pastry school, the great Alice Medrich came in as a guest lecturer one day and brought a cookie recipe that forever changed my view of shortbread cookies—not dull and sandy, but tender, buttery, and full of flavor. Using her base as my starting point, I started playing with flavors and making my own shortbread cookies at home.
Since then, I’ve served these at baby and bridal showers during my years as a personal chef, baked them for our family holiday cookie assortment, and packaged them up and given them out as teacher gifts and hostess gifts. This lemon version is a much-requested favorite. After you try it, move on to my Strawberry Shortbread Cookies and my favorite Cacao Nib Hazelnut Cookies next!
Why You'll Love This Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Great Flavor: Just the right balance of sweet and tart!
- Easy-to-Make: The batter comes together quickly, then just chill, slice, and bake!
- Shelf Life Winners: These lemon cookies stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container.
Ingredients for Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Butter: We always recommend unsalted butter in baking recipes, so you can control the salt content. If you use salted butter, take the salt in the recipe down to ⅛ teaspoon.
- Sugar: We use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe, but you could use all granulated sugar if you prefer. Read our FAQs if you want to substitute powdered sugar instead.
- Lemon: For a different version of this citrusy cookie, try using lime juice/zest or grapefruit juice/zest instead.
- Sparkling Sugar: You can replace with granulated sugar if you don’t have sparkling sugar, but the crystals won’t be quite as pretty. If you’re looking for some, you can buy sparkling sugar online at Amazon.
How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Cream together ¾ cup softened unsalted butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract with a mixer until smooth. (We like using the paddle attachment with our stand mixer.)
Add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and stir just until incorporated.
Scrape the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper, and use your hands to form the dough into a log that is 1 ½ inches in diameter.
Wrap the log in the parchment paper, then twist both sides to close tightly.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, and preferably 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sparkling sugar on a plate.
Unwrap cookie dough log, and cut into two shorter logs so they are easier to work with. Paint the outsides with egg white.
Roll logs in sparkling sugar until completely covered.
Cut log into slices slightly thinner than ½-inch.
Place shortbread slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, with an inch or two of space between cookies.
Bake for 12-13 minutes, until just golden brown on the edges.
Let cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet on a cooling rack, before moving the cookies themselves onto the rack.
Let cool completely before storing.
How to Store Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter. No need to refrigerate. They are even better the day after you make them! They will last about a week before they start to get a little stale. You can also freeze them for longer-term storage. Make sure they are completely cool, then package into a freezer-safe container or ziptop bag. Keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Yes, in fact we think these cookies taste the best if you make the dough a day before baking and then bake a day before serving! And, you can even make them further in advance. Make the dough up to 3 days before using, and keep in the refrigerator. Or, freeze the parchment logs for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then continue with the recipe.
We prefer granulated sugar in this recipe for lemon shortbread cookies because it makes for more of a crunchy texture. You can definitely use powdered sugar instead, but you will have a softer, more tender cookie.
Yes, you should always chill shortbread dough before baking. That will help ensure your cookies don’t spread when baked.
Yes, you can. Note that if you use orange, the cookies will be a little sweeter than the lemon version. You could combine orange and lemon together to add some tartness back in. Meyer lemons would be another great substitution!
Tips for the Best Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Want to make a big batch? Just double the recipe. You can either bake all the lemon cookies at once, or save a log or two in the freezer for a rainy day.
- If you want to bake all your cookies at one time, you’ll need two cookie sheets. Put one on the top oven rack and one on the bottom, then switch halfway through baking. Always good to rotate the sheets back to front while you’re in there too.
- Wondering the best knife to slice shortbread cookies? We prefer a large serrated knife, like a bread knife. The one we use is the Victorinox Swiss Army Bread Knife.
- Want to double down on that lemon flavor? How about adding a lemon glaze like the one I use for my Lemon Almond Flour Muffins? And if you love lemon cookies, don't miss these chewy Lemon Blueberry Cookies.
- You might also love the tart fresh raspberry flavor in these White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies. All of these cookies are just lovely paired with a cup of tea, or try them with an icy glass of Lavender Lemonade.
Other Delicious Cookie Recipes
Aren’t cookies the best? We love dessert recipes of all kinds, but cookies may be top of the list. Here are a few favorites:
If you’re interested in checking out some gluten-free options, you may want to see our Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies and Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies recipes as well.
If you try this easy Lemon Shortbread Cookie recipe, we would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to us.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter. We’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
📖 Recipe
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Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (12 tablespoons)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- Egg white optional, for garnish
- Sparkling sugar optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla with a mixer until smooth.
- Add the flour, and stir just until incorporated.
- Scrape the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper, and use your hands to form the dough into a log that is 1 ½ inches in diameter.
- Wrap the log in the parchment paper, then twist both sides to close tightly.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, and preferably 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread sparkling sugar on a plate.
- Unwrap cookie dough log, and cut into two shorter logs so they are easier to work with.
- Paint the outsides with egg white.
- Roll logs in sparkling sugar until completely covered.
- Cut into slices slightly thinner than ½-inch.
- Place shortbread slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, with an inch or two of space between cookies.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, until just golden brown on the edges.
- Let cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet on a cooling rack, before moving the cookies themselves onto the rack. Let cool completely before storing.
Video
Notes
These cookies taste the best if you make the dough a day before baking and then bake a day before serving! And, you can even make them further in advance. Make the dough up to 3 days before using, and keep in the refrigerator. Or, freeze the parchment logs for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then continue with the recipe. Expert Tips:
If you want to bake all your cookies at one time, you’ll need two cookie sheets. Put one on the top oven rack and one on the bottom, then switch halfway through baking. Always good to rotate the sheets back to front while you’re in there too.
Wondering the best knife to slice shortbread cookies? We prefer a large serrated knife, like a bread knife. The one we use is the Victorinox Swiss Army Bread Knife.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this Lemon Cookie recipe, tag us @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because we’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Monica O'Howe says
Hi Molly. These cookies look wonderful. I am wondering
about the amount of flour required. In the written recipe
the amount of flour is 2 cups + 2 tablespoons but in your
video you say 1 ¾ cups of flour.
Please advise as I would love to make these for Christmas.
Best Regards
Monica
Molly Pisula says
Hi Monica, go with the written recipe please, and thanks for letting me know. I upped the flour amount in the testing process, and I must have mentioned the original amount in the video. I will add updating that video to my to-do list!
Karen says
I ended up with a massive wet mess on my cookie sheet. Not sure where it went wrong.
Chef Molly says
Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that! Were you able to easily form it into a log before chilling, or was it too wet at that point? If it was fine then, was the dough fully chilled before you sliced and baked? Would love to know what went wrong.