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Sweet, buttery, and bursting with bright lemon flavor, these Lemon Shortbread cookies are soft, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Made with simple ingredients and topped with a tangy lemon glaze, they’re the perfect citrusy treat for spring, holidays, tea parties, or anytime you’re craving an easy homemade cookie.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’re a lemon lover, these Lemon Shortbread cookies are going to become a new favorite. The rich, buttery flavor of classic shortbread pairs perfectly with bright, tangy lemon for a cookie that practically melts in your mouth. The secret to the amazing flavor is the lemon-infused sugar, which gives every bite fresh citrus flavor without being overpowering. And the sweet lemon glaze on top adds the perfect finishing touch.
Not only are these cookies delicious, they’re also incredibly easy to make. The dough can be prepared several days ahead of time, making them perfect for holiday baking, parties, or gifting. Once baked, the cookies stay fresh for weeks in the refrigerator and freeze beautifully for months, so you can always have a batch ready when a lemon craving hits. They’re simple, elegant, and the perfect make-ahead treat for spring, showers, tea parties, or anytime you want an easy homemade cookie.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour, unbleached all purpose flour
- Salt
- Sugar, granulated sugar and powdered sugar
- Lemon Zest
- Butter, salted butter.
- Lemon Juice, always use fresh lemon juice.
How to Make Lemon Shortbread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add sugar and zest to a small bowl. Use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar until very fragrant and combine. This will release the oils from the zest.
- Add butter and sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix together until smooth. You can also use a hand electric mixer.
- Pour in juice and mix until combined and creamy, making sure to scrape down the sides as needed. Add in flour and salt and beat just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Scoop mixture into a 9″ x 13″ baking pan coated with nonstick spray or parchment paper.
- Place into the oven and bake until the top is lightly golden, about 25 to 35 minutes.
- Remove and place pan on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, butter and lemon juice until smooth.
- Spread glaze over the cooled shortbread and sprinkle with lemon zest, if desired.
- Set aside and let sit at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Then all that is left is to grab yourself a cup of tea and a lemon shortbread cookie and enjoy!
Tips from leigh Anne
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Don’t skip this step! Rubbing the zest into the sugar releases the oils from the lemon peel and gives the cookies their bright, fresh lemon flavor.
- Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon zest and juice make a huge difference in flavor compared to bottled juice.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix just until the dough comes together to keep the shortbread tender and buttery.
- Chill the dough if needed. If the dough feels soft or sticky, chill it for 20–30 minutes before rolling or shaping for easier handling.
- Watch the bake time carefully. Shortbread should stay fairly light in color. You want lightly golden edges, not deeply browned cookies.
- Let the cookies cool before glazing. If the cookies are still warm, the glaze will melt right off instead of setting up nicely.
- Adjust the glaze consistency. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or a little extra lemon juice for a thinner drizzle.
- Make them ahead. The dough can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Store for freshness. Keep baked cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to several weeks or freeze them for longer storage.
- Perfect for gifting. These cookies hold up beautifully and ship well, making them a great choice for holiday cookie boxes or neighbor gifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will leftover lemon shortbread last?
Keep any leftover shortbread stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or in the refrigerator for a month. You can also freeze it for up to 3-4 months. It has a great shelf life!
Can I use another type of juice?
Yes, they would be delicious with lime or orange juice.
Can I make lemon shortbread without the glaze?
Yes. The cookies are delicious on their own, but the lemon glaze adds extra citrus flavor and sweetness.
How do I know when shortbread is done baking?
The cookies should look set with lightly golden edges. Avoid overbaking, as shortbread is best when tender and buttery.
Check out more of my favorite shortbread recipes:
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Lemon Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. fresh grated lemon zest plus 1 tsp.
- 1 pound unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
For the glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 Tbsp. butter softened
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. fresh grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degreesF
- In a large mixing bowl, add sugar and zest – use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar until very fragrant and combine.
- Add butter and beat mixture together until smooth.
- Add juice and mix until combined and creamy, making sure to scrape down the sides as needed. Add flour and salt beat just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Scoop mixture into a 9″ x 13″ baking pan coated with nonstick spray.
- Place into the oven and bake until the top is lightly golden, about 25 to 35 minutes.
- Remove and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely
To prepare the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, butter and lemon juice until smooth.
- Spread glaze over the cooled shortbread and sprinkle with lemon zest, if desired.
- Set aside and let stand at least 30 minutes before cutting.
- Makes about 40 cookies.
Tips & Notes:
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Don’t skip this step! Rubbing the zest into the sugar releases the oils from the lemon peel and gives the cookies their bright, fresh lemon flavor.
- Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon zest and juice make a huge difference in flavor compared to bottled juice.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix just until the dough comes together to keep the shortbread tender and buttery.
- Chill the dough if needed. If the dough feels soft or sticky, chill it for 20–30 minutes before rolling or shaping for easier handling.
- Watch the bake time carefully. Shortbread should stay fairly light in color. You want lightly golden edges, not deeply browned cookies.
- Let the cookies cool before glazing. If the cookies are still warm, the glaze will melt right off instead of setting up nicely.
- Adjust the glaze consistency. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or a little extra lemon juice for a thinner drizzle.
- Make them ahead. The dough can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Store for freshness. Keep baked cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to several weeks or freeze them for longer storage.
- Perfect for gifting. These cookies hold up beautifully and ship well, making them a great choice for holiday cookie boxes or neighbor gifts.
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Diane Perry says
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
I wouldn’t recommend it.
Jaime says
Do you know if this would freeze well? I’d like to make it for a bake sale, but I’ll be out of town for the sale so I need something I can make ahead & freeze.
Leigh Anne says
Jaime, I have never frozen it but my guess is it would freeze well.