Lemon Shortbread Cookies

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These Lemon Shortbread Cookies are tender, buttery, and bursting with bright and zesty lemon flavor. The lemon glaze dresses up their appearance and makes them extra zingy. Depending on which cookie cutter you use, these shortbread cookies are the perfect treat for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or any time you need a lemon treat!

More lemon dessert favorites? Try our Lemon Crinkle Cookies or our delicious Lemon Pie Bars.

Cookies on a cooling rack stacked on each other with a slice of lemon on the side.

What is the Secret to Making Good Shortbread?

To make good shortbread, you need good ingredients, namely butter! Get high-quality butter for the best flavor. Also, keep the ingredients simple, don’t overwork the dough, shape the dough, and refrigerate some recipes. In our case, you don’t want to refrigerate the dough before rolling it out, but you can before baking. If the dough is too cold, it will crack when you are trying to roll it.

Helpful Items For This Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.

Heart Cookie Cutter Set, 5 Pieces

Microplane Classic Zester Grater, Black

Commercial Quality Baking Sheet Pan Set, Natural Aluminum Cookie Sheet, Set of 2

What are in Lemon Shortbread Cookies?

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, softened – Can I use salted butter? You can use salted butter for these shortbread cookies. Make sure to reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe to compensate.

Light brown sugar – What if I only have granulated sugar? You can use an equal amount of granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar as needed. Brown sugar will give a richer flavor to the dough.

Lemons – You will be using both the zest and the juice from the lemons, so always zest first and then juice.

Eggs – 1 egg yolk from 1 large egg is used for this recipe.

Vanilla extract – For more of a lemon flavor, use lemon extract.

Salt – If you are using salted butter, back off on the salt here.

All-Purpose Flour – spooned & leveled, plus extra for rolling out the cookies

Powdered sugar – Make sure to sift the powdered sugar. This is for the icing drizzle.

How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Butter with brown sugar whipped up in a bowl with beaters.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, then add the brown sugar. Make sure to scrape down the bowl. Cream the brown sugar and butter for about 2-3 minutes or until it is a pale brown color (see photos). Scrape down the bowl once again.

Zest the lemon(s) and measure out 2 teaspoons. Add the 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the butter and brown sugar mixture, followed by the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt. Cream these together. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon(s) into a small bowl. Measure out 1 tablespoon and add it to the bowl. Reserve the remaining lemon juice for the glaze. Mix one last time to incorporate the juice.

With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour. Mix until the dough starts to clump together. Stop the mixer. Dust your hands with flour, then bring the dough together into a ball with your hands.

Rolling Out The Dough

Place parchment down on your work surface & lightly dust it with flour. Place half of the dough on the floured surface and sprinkle more flour on top of the dough. Roll the dough out until it is about ¼-inch thick. Cut out the dough with a 2-inch cookie cutter of your choice. Place the cookies on your lined baking sheet. Make sure to leave at least 1 inch in between each cookie. Repeat this process until you have used all of the dough.

Place one baking sheet of cookies onto the middle rack of your oven. Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 10-12 min until the edges/bottoms have just begun to turn golden brown. Repeat with the second baking sheet of cookies.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a rack to cool completely.

Decorating The Cookies

While the cookies are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar with 1 ½ tablespoons of the lemon juice. The glaze should be smooth and somewhat thick but still pourable.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies with a spoon or whisk. If you prefer a neater look, you can pipe the glaze onto the cookies with a piping bag or a sandwich bag with the tip snipped off.

Horizontal picture of Lemon Shortbread Cookies on a cooling rack.

Recipe Pro Tips!

How long can I store these lemon shortbread cookies?

The cookies will keep in a container at room temperature for 4-5 days or in the fridge for a week. They can be frozen for up to three months. Make sure to thaw them at room temperature.

You can use any shape you like! I recommend sticking with a cookie cutter around 2 inches in size since it will produce the same amount of cookies and have the same baking time listed in the recipe.

Recipe Notes

To measure your flour accurately, use the spoon and level method. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup without packing it down. Use the back of a knife to level off the flour in the measuring cup.
Using a small piping bag (or a sandwich bag with the tip snipped off) to glaze the cookies will allow the most control over their appearance. A spoon or a small whisk may be used as well.
Cookies baked on a darker-colored baking sheet will only take about 9-10 minutes.
Make sure to use softened butter for the best results.

Close-up overhead shot of cookies overlapping on a cooling rack.

We love our cookies in any shape or size, even as much as the cookie monster. Here are some of our faves.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Tara Noland

These perfectly cute Lemon Shortbread Cookies are great for Mother's Day but work for other occasions, too, like Valentine's Day. You can also use a differently shaped cookie cutter, and they can be enjoyed year-round.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings -30 Cookies

Calories 63 kcal

Ingredients

1 stick ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large or 2 small lemons
1 egg yolk from 1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups flour spooned & leveled, plus extra for rolling out the cookies
1 cup powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, then add the brown sugar. Make sure to scrape down the bowl. Cream the brown sugar and butter for about 2-3 minutes or until it is a pale brown color (see photos). Scrape down the bowl once again.
Zest the lemon(s) and measure out 2 teaspoons. Add the 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the butter and brown sugar mixture, followed by the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt. Cream these together. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon(s) into a small bowl. Measure out 1 tablespoon and add it to the bowl. Reserve the remaining lemon juice for the glaze. Mix one last time to incorporate the juice.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour. Mix until the dough starts to clump together. Stop the mixer. Dust your hands with flour, then bring the dough together into a ball with your hands.
Place parchment down on your work surface & lightly dust it with flour. Place half of the dough on the floured surface and sprinkle more flour on top of the dough. Roll the dough out until it is about ¼-inch thick. Cut out the dough with a 2-inch cookie cutter of your choice. Place the cookies on your lined baking sheet. Make sure to leave at least 1 inch in between each cookie. Repeat this process until you have used all of the dough. Place one baking sheet of cookies onto the middle rack of your oven. Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 10-12 min until the edges/bottoms have just begun to turn golden brown. Repeat with the second baking sheet of cookies.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar with 1 ½ tablespoons of the lemon juice. The glaze should be smooth and somewhat thick but still pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies with a spoon or whisk. If you prefer a neater look, you can pipe the glaze onto the cookies with a piping bag or a sandwich bag with the tip snipped off.
Store the cookies in a container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature or in the fridge.