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These easy, light and refreshing lemon shortbread cookies offer a little crunch, a hint of lemon and that buttery flavor we all love! They’re made with just five ingredients and are so simple to make!
If I could choose a flavor that described sunshine, it would be lemon! The zestiness of lemon is so happy and refreshing. As the weather warms, my family tends to want light and bright flavors for our treats.
I have found that as we’re outside more in the spring and summer for excursions, the girls want sweet treats, but something a little more refreshing like homemade ice cream or anything with a hint of citrus. And I am happy to oblige with these delicious and easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies.
They are so easy and quick to make a treat for us. And they’re also the perfect way to share a little sunshine with friends and neighbors! Don’t skip our complete guide to the BEST Lemon Desserts too.
These Lemon Shortbread Cookies are nothing short of amazing! A hint of sweet lemon flavor balanced with butter! (Psst. . . want some frosting with your lemon cookies? Check out these adorable frosted lemon cookies!)
I mixed up our classic shortbread cookie recipe for spring and summer and they taste just as heavenly as they look. These lemon cookies are always a huge hit and so pretty, too! They require just a few ingredients and are so easy to make!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Refreshing lemon flavor
- Crispy and buttery
- Uses just 5 ingredients
Lemon Shortbread Cookies are perfect for when you’re in the mood for something sweet, but not too sweet.
I can’t resist the buttery flavor of shortbread! And with the citrus and butter combination, these lemon cookies are melt-in-your-mouth shortbread perfection!
★★★★★
5 STAR REVIEW
“Shortbread cookies are my favorite because they’re not too sweet and the lemon took them over the top!!”
— JESSI —
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salted Butter – because butter makes everything better! Butter is the star ingredient in shortbread that gives them that melt in your mouth quality. If you prefer, you can of course use unsalted butter as well. Either way, bring butter to room temperature for best results.
- Brown Sugar – brown sugar gives these cookies a deeper flavor and a hint of color.
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Lemon Extract – one of my favorite summer ingredients! A little hint of lemon extract makes these cookies stand out. If you’re really in a pinch, you can substitute lemon juice, however you get more flavor from extract.
- Lemon Zest – zest offers more flavor than extract and adds a touch of color to these cookies. Meyer lemons are my favorite, but the zest of any lemon will work!
Variations
- Use cookie stamps to make the cookies adorable!
- Drizzle with Lemon Glaze to take these over the top!
How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies in Just 4 Easy Steps
- Mix – Cream butter, then mix in brown sugar. Add lemon extract and zest. Combine flour.
- Chill – Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Cut – Roll dough to 1/2″ thick and use cookie cutters and stamps to make shapes Place on baking sheet.
- Bake – Bake as directed for 10-15 minutes.
Tips
- Use softened butter, not melted butter. Learn How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- If you’re not using cookie stamps, roll chilled dough into a log shape on a lightly floured surface and slice.
- Don’t chill the dough for more than 30 minutes. The dough won’t stick together if it’s chilled for too long.
- Shortbread cookies are a pale color, with very little browning. They require a low and slow bake for a delicate crumb.
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Shortcuts
- Soften the butter in the microwave. Learn how to soften butter quickly.
- Roll the dough and quickly cut into squares with a knife.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know when lemon shortbread cookies are done?
Bake at a low temperature until the edges are just barely golden and the tops of the cookie are dry.
Can I use lemon juice instead of extract?
You can use lemon juice instead of extract, but extract has a stronger, smoother flavor.
Make Ahead
- Zest a bunch of lemons and freeze the zest to use whenever you want.
- Make the dough, roll it into a log, and freeze in plastic wrap. When ready to bake, let the dough thaw and then slice and bake.
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Refrigerate – Place in an airtight container or bag and keep in the fridge for 10-14 days!
- Freeze – To freeze shortbread cookies in an airtight container, wrap container with plastic wrap or in a ziplock bag to prevent freezer odor from seeping in. Freeze up to 1 month.
What to Do with Leftovers
- Crumble and mix into Lemon Ice Cream
- Crush and use as a crust for No Bake Lemon Pie
Dietary Considerations
- Nut Free
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Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Easy, light and refreshing Lemon Shortbread Cookies recipe that offers a little crunch, hint of lemon and that buttery flavor we all love! A perfect spring and summer recipe that taste as heavenly as they look.
Yield
Ingredients
- 2 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour + up to ½ cup more flour, if needed
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Whip butter until smooth and light in color. Add brown sugar until combined.
- Mix in lemon extract and zest.
- Gradually add in flour until dough begins to form. Add up to an additional ½ c flour if needed so that the dough forms and ball and isn’t sticky.
- Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll dough to ½" thick on a floured surface, use cookie stamps and cutters to cut and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake 10-15 minutes (depending on size of your cutters), watching carefully as to not over-bake.
Tips
- You can pair these with this easy 3 Ingredient Lemon Glaze
- Use softened butter, not melted butter.
- If you’re not using cookie stamps, roll chilled dough into a log shape on a lightly floured surface and slice.
- Don’t chill the dough for more than 30 minutes. The dough won’t stick together if it’s chilled for too long.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1g, Calories: 158kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 15g (5%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 10g (15%), Saturated Fat: 6g (30%), Cholesterol: 27mg (9%), Sodium: 92mg (4%), Potassium: 24mg (1%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 6g (7%), Vitamin A: 315IU (6%), Calcium: 10mg (1%), Iron: 0.6mg (3%)
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Jessi says
Shortbread cookies are my favorite because they’re not too sweet and the lemon took them over the top!
Stevie6684 says
Had I only read a little further, I would have seen it! Thanks for including it in the post.
Stevie6684 says
Where did you find your adorable cookie molds? As always, a great post. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Julie says
Ha! No problem! Enjoy!
Jenny Young says
This looks so yummy! Shortbread is my husband’s favorite cookie but I’ve never tried a lemon one.
I am confused about the nutrition facts? We read those closely since my husband is a type I diabetic. I do know that one Walker shortbread cookie is 11g of carbs. So I assume the 300g listed here is for the whole recipe? Not just one cookie? The right side of the nutrition chart is cut off on my page – maybe it’s my browser? So I can’t read it clearly.
Thanks!
Julie says
No, that’s the daily recommendation. I’m sorry, nutrition isn’t configured for all of my recipes yet, but I’m working on it.
Kate says
These were so good! I’ll definitely make them again.