Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Slice-and-bake logs, sandy texture, bright lemon oil
Tender lemon shortbread made as slice-and-bake logs. Sandy, pale, and bright, with a three week shelf life. Home scale from the market formula.
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Bake
- 14-18 minutes per tray
- Total
- About 2 hours 40 minutes, most of it chilling
- Yield
- 24 rounds, about ⅓ inch thick
- Difficulty
- beginner
Ingredients
Shortbread Dough
- 300g (2⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 195g (¾ cup + 2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 105g (⅞ cup) powdered sugar
- 18g (3 Tbsp (about 4 lemons)) lemon zest, finely grated
- 3g (½ tsp) fine sea salt
- 4.5g (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract
Optional Lemon Glaze
- 120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 20g (4 tsp) fresh lemon juice — Add a teaspoon at a time until it drizzles
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Digital Scale
- Zester or Microplane
- Half Sheet Pans
- Parchment Paper
Method
Mix the Dough
Rub the zest into the sugar first. That releases the lemon oil and gives a much brighter cookie than zest folded in at the end.
- Cream the Butter, Sugar, and Zest. Beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until light and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the Vanilla and Salt. Mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Add the Flour. Add the flour and mix just until the dough comes together. Stop early. Overworking makes a tough cookie instead of a sandy one.
Tip: The dough will look crumbly before it comes together. Give it a squeeze with your hand rather than mixing longer.
Roll into Logs and Chill
Slice-and-bake logs are the efficiency here. Make them ahead, slice what you need.
- Roll the Logs. Shape the dough into logs about 2 inches across and wrap tightly in parchment or plastic.
- Chill Until Firm. Chill at least 2 hours, or overnight. The logs also freeze well.
Wait: Log Chill
Slice, Bake, and Finish
Shortbread should stay pale. Color means overbaked.
- Slice. Slice the cold logs into rounds about ⅓ inch thick. Uniform slices bake evenly.
- Bake. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 14 to 18 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden.
- Cool, Then Glaze. Cool completely, then drizzle or dip in the lemon glaze if you're using it. Let the glaze set before stacking.
Tip: Glaze only fully cooled cookies. Warm shortbread melts the glaze into a sticky film.
Bake the Shortbread
A lower oven keeps the cookie pale and sandy.
Oven: 165°C / 325°F.
Bake time: PT16M
Equipment: Half sheet pans lined with parchment
- Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 14 to 18 minutes. Pull when the edges are barely golden and the tops are still pale.
Storage
- Room temperature: Sealed container for 2 to 3 weeks, still crisp. This is the longest keeper in the cookie line.
- Refrigerated: Not needed. The fridge softens the snap.
- Frozen: Freeze baked cookies or unbaked logs up to 2 months.
- Refresh: Five minutes in a 300°F (150°C) oven brings back the crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my shortbread tough instead of sandy?
The dough was overworked. Once the flour goes in, mix only until it barely holds together. Gluten development is the enemy of shortbread.
Can I use bottled lemon juice or extract instead of zest?
Zest is where the lemon oil lives, and it's what gives this cookie its flavor. Juice adds water and softens the texture. Use fresh zest, and save the juice for the glaze.
How long do the logs keep?
Wrapped in the fridge for 5 days, or frozen for 2 months. Slice frozen logs straight from the freezer and add 2 minutes to the bake.
Can I add lavender?
Yes, about 2g of culinary lavender chopped fine. Keep the amount modest and chop it well, too much or too coarse tastes soapy.
Nutrition
Per serving (1 cookie (about 25g)): 130 calories, 14g carbohydrates, 1g protein, 8g fat, 0g fiber, 50mg sodium.