Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Hello friends! These Lemon Shortbread Cookies are the perfect balance of buttery richness and bright citrus flavor. Made with simple ingredients and finished with a tangy lemon glaze, they melt in your mouth with each bite. The dough comes together easily and rolls out beautifully, making this a lovely weekend baking project or a charming gift-worthy treat. The burst of lemon zest and a whisper of vanilla make these cookies irresistible to lemon lovers.
Best Lemon Shortbread Cookie Recipe
If you love a cookie that’s tender and buttery with a bright citrus punch, this recipe is for you. These shortbread cookies are made with lemon-zested sugar for extra depth of flavor, chilled to ensure clean edges, and glazed with a simple lemon icing that sets with a glossy finish. They’re beautiful, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make — no fancy tools or decorating required.
Full ingredient amounts, step by step instructions, cooking times, prep time, and total time can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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Shortbread Dough
Start by combining the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it’s evenly moistened and smells fragrant—this helps release the natural oils in the zest and infuses the sugar with lemon flavor. Add the softened butter to the bowl and beat on medium to low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. You can use either an electric hand mixer or the paddle attachment on a stand mixer.
Once the butter and sugar mixture is creamed, mix in the egg yolk, teaspoon vanilla extract, and lemon extract, if using. Scrape down the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix the flour mixture until just combined. The dough will be soft, but it should hold together easily when pressed.
Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. Chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. When you’re ready to roll out the dough, remove it from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly.
Divide the dough into four portions and keep any pieces you’re not working with covered. Roll one portion at a time with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface (or parchment paper) to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can also use a silicone mat or a baking mat. Make sure to reuse the dough scraps. If it ever feels like it’s getting too warm, place it back in the fridge so it can firm up again.
Chilling & Baking the Cookies
Once you’ve cut out the cookies, chill the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C). This extra chilling time helps prevent the cookies from spreading. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 mins, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
Lemon Glaze
To make the glaze, melt-in the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add more juice a few drops at a time until the glaze is smooth and thick but still pourable.
Dip the tops of each cooled cookie into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off before setting them glaze-side-up on parchment paper.
If desired, sprinkle a little fresh lemon zest over the tops while the glaze is still wet. Let the cookies sit uncovered at room temperature until the glaze is completely dry—this can take several hours. Avoid stacking or packaging them until the glaze is fully set.
Storage
Once the glaze is fully set, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If stacking, use parchment or wax paper between layers. For longer storage, freeze the unglazed cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw and glaze just before serving for the freshest texture.
Tips & Tricks for Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Zesting tip: Use a microplane for finely grated zest that distributes easily into the sugar.
- Chilling dough: Don’t skip this step! It helps the cookies hold their shape and enhances flavor.
- For clean edges: Dip your cookie cutter in flour between cuts and use a metal spatula to transfer shapes.
- Customize shapes: Try seasonal or holiday-themed cutters for a festive touch.
Variations on Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Add herbs: Fold in a bit of finely chopped thyme, lemon balm, or rosemary for a sophisticated flavor twist.
Use orange zest: Swap lemon for orange zest and juice for a sweeter citrus note.
Make sandwich cookies: Skip the glaze and sandwich lemon curd or raspberry jam between two cookies.
More Citrus Treats to Try
If you make these Lemon Shortbread Cookies, I’d love to see them! Tag your photos @piesandtacos on Instagram — I can’t wait to see your creations. Happy baking!
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread Dough
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 135g
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 226g
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp lemon extract optional
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 270g
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
Lemon Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar 180g
- 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice adjust for desired thickness
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture feels damp and smells fragrant—this helps release the lemon’s natural oils and infuse the sugar with flavor.
- Add the softened butter to the bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. You can use the paddle attachment with a stand mixer, or a hand mixer.
- Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract (if using), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until a dough forms. The dough will be soft but should hold together when pressed.
- Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I like to make the dough a day before I want to roll and shape.
- When you’re ready to roll out the cookies, take the dough off the fridge and place it on the counter. Let it rest for 10 minutes, it will soften slightly, making it easier to roll it out.
- Slice the dough into 4 parts, keep the remaining parts covered while you work with one at a time.
- On a lightly floured surface, or on top of a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough to about ¼ inch (6mm) thick. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut shapes, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed.
- Place the cut cookies in the fridge for 15–20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). This helps prevent spreading.
Bake
- Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add more juice, a few drops at a time, until the glaze is smooth and thick but pourable.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place glazed-side up on a parchment-lined surface. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle a bit of fresh lemon zest over each cookie.
- Let cookies sit uncovered at room temperature until the glaze is fully set. This can take several hours. Avoid stacking or packaging until completely dry.
