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Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Easy to make and perfect for spring and summer, these Iced Lemon Shortbread Cookies are what you need to make for your next tea party! They're delightfully flavored with fresh lemon zest and a homemade icing that's both sweet and lightly tangy.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 16 cookies
Calories: 208 kcal
Course:
Dessert , Baked Goods
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon water
- lemon zest optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until combined.
- Add the flour and salt and mix by hand until the dough starts to clump. Gently press the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and gently pat into a circle or rectangle.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes until just turning light golden at the edges.
- As soon as the shortbread is out of the oven, cut into 16 rectangle fingers with a sharp knife, and prick each finger with a fork.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the shortbread cools, make the icing. Sift the powdered sugar and mix with the lemon juice and water.
- Spoon ½ teaspoon of icing to the end of each cooled shortbread finger.
- Sprinkle over lemon zest, if using.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Storage: Store lemon shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer (un-iced) for up to 1 month.
- Make sure your butter is room temperature.
- If you don't have a zester, you can just use the smaller side of a cheese grater to zest the lemon.
- Careful not to bake the cookies for too long! As soon as the edges are a gorgeous golden brown color, you should be good to go.
- This is a short and tender shortbread. Cut the shortbread as soon as it comes out of the oven. If left to cool slightly, it will crumble when cut or pricked with a fork.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1cookie
Calories
208kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
25g
(8%)
Protein
2g
(4%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
31mg
(10%)
Sodium
39mg
(2%)
Potassium
22mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
12g
(24%)
Vitamin A
355IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
7mg
(1%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 208
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 208kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 39mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 22mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 355IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 7mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.