Lemon shortbread cookies are buttery, and full of fresh lemon flavor. They are made with 7 simple ingredients including a delicious white chocolate topping!
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This easy recipe combines the buttery richness of shortbread cookies with a fresh lemon twist!
I adapted this chocolate chip shortbread cookies to come up with this lemon shortbread cookie recipe. Instead of chocolate chips, we’re dipping these in melted white chocolate!
For more shortbread cookie recipes, try my, Chocolate Almond Toffee Slice and Bake Cookies and Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies.
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Why This Recipe Works
- These lemon cookies are made from 7 simple ingredients. You probably already have most of the ingredients!
- Their melt in your mouth texture that will keep you coming back for more. For another yummy cookie recipe, try my lemon biscotti!
- Lemon zest and lemon juice make this lemon shortbread recipe tart and lemony just like my lemon blackberry cake!
- White chocolate adds a little extra sweet, decadent flavor. If you love this flavor combination, try my yummy white chocolate chip lemon cookies!
Ingredients
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients.
- Butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar helps give these cookies their melt in your mouth texture.
- 1 egg yolk: The egg yolk adds extra richness to these cookies.
- Lemons: You’ll need 1 large or 2 medium lemons. I recommend 2 lemons for more lemon flavor. We’re using the zest only. If you’re a big lemon fan, be sure to try my baked lemon donuts and delicious preserved lemon tea cake.
- White chocolate: These cookies are dunked in white chocolate just like my orange chocolate cookies. Use either chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips for these lemon and white chocolate shortbread.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements
Substitutions & Variations
- In place of unsalted butter, you can use salted butter. Leave the salt out if you use salted butter.
- Swap in Meyer lemons in place of regular lemons to turn these into Meyer lemon shortbread cookies.
- Add some lime zest and make these lemon lime shortbread cookies or try my recipe for key lime cookies.
- Instead of white chocolate, top the cookies with lemon icing. The lemon icing for my lemon sour cream cookies would be perfect!
How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step One: (Photo 1 above). Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
Step Two: (Photo 2 above) Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice and egg yolk.
Step Three: (Photo 3 above) Mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
Step Four: (Photo 4 above) Divide the dough in half. Roll out til 1/4-inch thick. Chill 2 hours. Cut out the cookies. Chill for 20 additional minutes. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 9-11 minutes.
Step Five: (Photo 5 above) Microwave the chopped white chocolate it in 30 second bursts. Stir in between until chocolate is melted.
Step Six: (Photo 6 above) Dip cookies in white chocolate. Zest some lemon on top before it sets.
Expert Tips
- Zest the lemon before slicing it. Grate only the outer layer of the lemon peel. Do not zest the white part.
- I use 2½ inch circular cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. You can use a different size or shape. Baking time may vary depending on the size of the cookies.
- Roll dough into one log or divide it in half and roll it out.
- Set the cookies on a rack set over parchment paper while the chocolate sets. This will catch any chocolate that drips.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Chill this cookie dough in the refrigerator. It will keep the cookies from over-spreading when they bake.
I recommend 1/4 inch. I wouldn’t roll it much thicker or thinner than that.
Fresh lemon zest makes a delicious add in for shortbread. You can also add chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, fresh thyme leaves or sprinkles!
Store leftover white chocolate dipped shortbread cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze leftover cookies without the chocolate on top in a freezer storage bag for up to 3 months.
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Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (80 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 2 lemons, using zest only
- 1 egg yolk
- 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
White Chocolate Topping (optional)
- 6 ounces (170 g) white chocolate
Instructions
Lemon Cookies
- Sift together the flour and salt and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the lemon zest followed by the egg yolk. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
- Divide the dough in half. Roll out each half on parchment paper lightly sprinkled with flour. Roll the dough in any shape to about 1/4-inch thick. Place the sheets of parchment paper with the dough on them on a baking sheet. Cover each baking sheet with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. Lift the parchment paper off the tray and onto the counter. Carefully run a long knife carefully between the parchment paper and the cookie dough. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Re roll dough and cut out cookies, using up all the dough.
- Chill cut out cookies in the refrigerator 20 additional minutes. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit while the cookies are chilling. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown.
- Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer them to racks to cool completely.
White Chocolate Topping (optional)
- Once the cookies are baked and have cooled, melt the white chocolate. Set your microwave to 50% power and heat the white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Give it a stir between intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Dip or dredge 1/3 or 1/2 of each cookie in the chocolate. Use the side of the bowl or a small spatula to gently wipe away excess chocolate from the bottom or edge of the cookie. Place on a wire rack placed over some parchment paper or a baking sheet (this will catch the chocolate that may drip). Instead of dipping the cookies, you can drizzle them with melted white chocolate.
- Optional-for a little extra lemon flavor and decoration, zest some extra lemon zest over the white chocolate cookies. Do this right after adding the white chocolate so the zest can stick to it. Allow the cookies to set about 30 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Connie
I’ve just started preparing the recipe. While the ingredients say zest only, the instructions says to add the zest and “juice” but no quantity of juice. I’m going to use the zest only and hope it turns out. Ingredient list and instructions contradict each other so which is it?
Natalie Ward
Hi Connie, I’m so sorry about that confusion and thank you for pointing that out. You are correct that the recipe uses the zest only. I’ll be sure to edit the instructions to match. I hope you enjoyed the cookies and please let me know if you have any other questions! -Natalie
Dexmom
I was planning on baking these cookies, however, when I re-read the recipe I didn’t see any measurement for shortening, yet, to make the frosting it calls for white chocolate with shortening?
Natalie
Hi I’m sorry about that. I retested the recipe recently and found they don’t need shortening so I omitted it from the recipe (but forgot to delete it from the instructions). I just updated the change. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
Natalie
Hi Ginny! I’m excited for you to make these too! Unfortunately the pom seeds don’t stay fresh for too long. The cookies themselves can be baked in advance, but it’s definitely best to decorate and add the poms the same day you want to serve them. Please let me know if you have any other questions. -Natalie
Barbara Briggs Ward
Besides delicious, the cookies look as if they are a painting.