These Lemon Shortbread Cookies are buttery, tender, and with the perfect citrus taste. Made in a tart pan and cut into wedges, they couldn't be any easier or quicker to make. Perfect for the holidays for Summer gatherings.
Classic Shortbread in itself is quick and easy to make, but rolling out the dough and stamping out rounds, and refrigerating the dough before baking, all take time. I wanted to create an alternative that was fast, easy but still beautiful to look at.
And that's how I created these Lemon Shortbread Wedges. Made with hand-held beaters or a stand mixer, the lemon dough comes together quickly. It's then pressed and flattened into the base of a fluted pan. This gives the edges a really pretty scalloped pattern.
Once baked and cut into wedges, the Lemon Shortbread Cookies can be sprinkled with lemon sugar or topped with a tangy lemon glaze. You choose. Both options are great. These make the perfect cookies alongside your tea.
We serve these Lemon Shortbread Cookies on our Dear Coco Coffee Van and they sell out like hot cakes. It goes to prove that you can't go past simple, nostalgic, homemade shortbread! I'm so happy to finally share the recipe with our customers so that they can make it at home.
Check out my Maple Glazed Pecan Shortbread, Strawberry Shortbread Sandwich Cookies, Cranberry Orange Shortbread and Christmas Shortbread Cookies for other tasty variations.
🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses basic ingredients. You'll most likely have all the ingredients on hand to make this recipe. You only need 5 ingredients for the shortbread and 2 for the glaze. That's it!
- Incredible texture. These have a melt-in-your-mouth 'short' quality that is everything a great shortbread should have.
- Quick to make. The dough itself only takes ten minutes max to prepare and press into the pan. Then after 30 minutes of baking, you'll have a pan of perfectly cooked shortbread.
- Perfect for afternoon tea and gift-giving. Nothing beats sitting down to a cup of tea or coffee and enjoying a wedge of lemon shortbread. Share the love and turn these into a gift. They transport well and the recipient will love them.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
The ingredient list is short and basic. I've made a couple of notes below that are worth a read.
- Butter - I recommend unsalted butter so that you can control the level of salt within the recipe. Ensure the butter is at room temperature for maximum creamability! But make sure it’s not too soft verging on melted otherwise it won’t cream properly and you’ll be left with greasy, dense cookies.
- Sugar - Granulated or caster sugar can be used. The recipe states granulated as it's more mainstream, but out of choice I go for caster s it dissolves into the butter but quicker.
- Flour - Plain (all-purpose) flour is best. Weigh out using digital scales for accuracy. Too much flour will lead to dry shortbread.
- Salt - I always add a little salt to my baked goods. It helps cut 'season' the dough and add more flavour.
- Lemon Zest - Use the zest of 1 large lemon. Or 2 lemons if you want more citrus flavour. I'll share below how to maximise the flavour of the lemon zest.
📖 Variations
- Lemon Rose Shortbread: Add in a drop or two of rose extract and decorate the lemon glaze with some rose petals.
- Orange Shortbread: Substitute the lemon for orange zest ad orange juice in the glaze.
- Lemon Thyme Shortbread: I love herbs in baked goods and thyme is a magical addition to this shortbread.
- White chocolate Lemon Shortbread: Lemon and white chocolate pair beautifully together. Add the zest to the shortbread but decorate with a drizzle of creamy white chocolate.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make
Let's deep dive into the process of making these shortbread wedge cookies. As always I provide process images so that you can visually see step-by-step what you need to do.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
STEP 1. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together. By rubbing the two together, releases the oils from the lemon zest into sugar creating more flavour (Images 1 & 2). It's a simple but effective trick for whenever you use zest in baking.
STEP 2. Cream the butter and sugar together. The butter needs to be softened so that you can cream it until pale and the sugar has dissolved into the butter. Usually takes a couple of minutes.
STEP 3. Sift in the flour and form the dough. Beat the flour into the dough until it's combined and the dough starts to form larger clumps (Images 5 & 6). You'll know it's ready when you squeeze the dough together and clumps will (Image 7).
Try not to overwork the dough. This will create a tough dough which is not what we're after!
STEP 4. Press into a tart pan. I use a 23cm/9-inch large fluted deep tart pan with a removable base and line it with parchment paper. (Notes in FAQ section on how to line the base and for other pan options)
Scoop the dough into the base of the tart pan and press the dough over the surface to the edges with your fingertips (Images 8 & 9).
Once it's roughly level, use a measuring cup or flat-based cup to get it as level as you can (Image 10). Then, use your index finger or thumb to press an indent all-round the edge of the tart pan. This is purely for aesthetics!
STEP 5. Bake. Slice the shortbread into wedges (Image 10). Yes, I know- bizarre to cut the dough before baking. But once baked, if you haven't done these score marks before then the shortbread can crumble easily.
Bake in a preheated 170C/340F oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the shortbread is starting to turn golden.
Then once baked- remove from the oven and immediately cut through your original score lines (Image 13). The shortbread has to be hot when you do this. Then let the shortbread cool fully in the pan (Image 14).
STEP 6. Make the glaze and decorate. Whisk together the lemon juice and powdered icing sugar until the glaze is thick (Image 15). Spoon glaze over each of the cooled lemon shortbread cookies.
You can sprinkle more lemon zest over the glaze and let it set fully. Alternatively, leave the shortbread unglazed and sprinkle sugar with lemon zest rubbed into it. Simple but effective!
💭 Recipe Pro Tips
- Line the tart pan base so that when you cut the dough, the sharp knife won't score the pan.
- Use room-temperature butter.
- Rub the zest into the sugar to maximise the flavour.
- Score then cut the dough before and after baking. Helps create clean, neat wedges.
- Leave the shortbread to cool fully in the pan. Attempting to remove it from the pan when warm will make it crumble apart.
📋 Recipe FAQs
My top 4 pieces of advice for making the best shortbread are: Use quality butter. Don't overwork the dough. Measure the flour correctly. Don't overbake.
This is a thick shortbread wedge. But you can split the dough into two 15cm/6-inch tart pans for thinner shortbread, or in one 25cm/10-inch tart pan.
Alternatively, Line the base of a 9-inch cake pan with a removable base. The edges of the shortbread won't be fluted but you can still press in the indents with your fingers, or use a fork.
Take out the removable base and place it on a sheet of baking paper. Mark around the base with a pen, then cut out this circle. Place the paper onto the base i the pan. You can stop it slipping by greasing the base first.
Yes absolutely. Half the ingredient quantity and follow the methodology for my All-Butter Shortbread Cookies.
❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions
To store: The shortbread cookie dough itself can be made well in advance. Wrap very well with plastic wrap and store the dough for up to a week in the fridge. The wedges can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days or in the fridge for up to one week.
To freeze: Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze the dough for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To freeze baked unglazed wedges, store them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow cookies to come to room temperature before serving. Then glaze.
🍋 More Delicious Lemon Recipes
If you tried this Lemon Shortbread Cookies recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon zest of large lemon
- 120 g granulated sugar, caster sugar is preferred if you have access to it.
- 250 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 360 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 65 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 2-3 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F. Line the base of a 23cm/9-inch fluted tart pan with removable base. To do this, place the base on parchment paper and draw around it. Cut out the circle and place on the base back into the pan.
- Rub lemon zest and sugar together. Add the sugar and zest into a mixing bowl and rub together to release the oils.
- Cream together the butter and lemon sugar. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and cream for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed until pale and light. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
- Add in flour and beat them together. Sift in the flour and add the salt then mix at low speed until they are combined and the dough starts to come together. The dough will look quite raggedy but you’ll know it's ready when it starts to clean the sides of the bowl and clumps in the middle.With your hands, squeeze the shortbread dough together into a mass. Shape it into a rough disc.
- Press into a tart pan. With floured fingers, press the dough into the prepared fluted tart pan. Use a measuring cup to flatten evenly. Press an indent using your index finger all the way round the edge of the pan. Cut the dough into 12 wedges.
- Bake. Bake for 30-35 minutes until firm and the shortbread is starting to turn golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and immediately re-cut the lines. Leave to cool fully in the pan.
- Make the glaze and decorate. Whisk together the lemon juice and powdered icing sugar until the glaze is thick. Spoon glaze over each of the cooled shortbread wedges.Alternatively, Sprinkle the shortbread fresh from the oven with lemon sugar.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
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