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 you’ll love this recipe
These delicious Lemon Shortbread Cookies are adapted from my popular Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies recipe!
This recipe 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!
Table of Contents
Ingredients Needed
The following ingredients are needed to make these homemade 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. I recommend 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 recipe card below.
How to Make the Recipe
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 recipe card below.
Step 1. Whisk the dry ingredients together. All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. I recommend 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. I recommend layering the glazed lemon cookies with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
Helpful Tips
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, I recommend 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.
More Lip-Smacking Lemon Desserts!
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The Best Lemon Shortbread Cookies
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
Instructions
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.2 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1/4 tsp Salt
- 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.1 cup Unsalted Butter, 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar, 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, Lemon Zest (from 1 small lemon), 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1 1/2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 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), preheat 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. I recommend 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, I recommend 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 mixing 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!1 cup Powdered Sugar, 2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 tbsp Milk
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).
Video
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, I recommend 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used. See Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
Followed the recipe exactly and what I got was a crumbly mess that I couldn’t work with. My batter did not resemble in any way the batter seen in the video and I am an experienced baker. Not sure what happened, but I did not deviate from the recipe. I am very frustrated with the result.
Hi Sharon, I’ve tested/made this recipe quite a bit and have never experienced what you’re describing. You also reference a batter, but this is a cookie dough recipe.
Perfect!
Thank you so much!
Can I make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate?
I apologize for the delayed response! Yes, absolutely you can!
So good! I use half canna butter for a special treat!
These cookies are sooo good as is, I have to ask how the flavour was with the canna butter?
I haven’t made these yet, but I appreciate the baking note about chilling the dough if making these with smaller sheet pans. The oven in my apartment is smaller than a typical oven, so I have to use a 7″x11″ pan.
Glad the note was helpful! Hope you enjoy them!
These cookies are excellent! They are buttery and melt in your mouth! This is an easy recipe to follow that got rave reviews! I’m going to try this with an orange too! Can’t wait! So yummy!!! Definitely a keeper! Thanks Jennifer!
You’re welcome, Jolene! Thank you so much for making them!
Really delicious, especially if you are a fan of lemon, which I am. They are very easy to make. My only comment is that the lemon glaze didn’t turn out as white as in the picture so they aren’t as pretty.