Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Lemon Shortbread Cookies are the ideal blend of zesty and buttery flavors, offering a delicious treat for those who love citrus flavors. With just 6 main ingredients, these cookies are simple to prepare, making them perfect for special occasions or everyday sugar cravings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Chilling Time 45

Total Time 1 25

Servings Cookies

Calories 79kcal

Author Kanan

Ingredients

For Cookies:

½ cup Unsalted butter 1 stick softened at room temperature
¼ cup White sugar
1 tablespoon Corn flour (corn starch)
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Lemon zest from 1 lemon. Zest the lemon before juicing
1 ¼ cup All purpose flour (Maida)

For The Glaze:

½ cup Powdered sugar (Confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar)
1 tablespoon Lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon Pistachios crushed into powder for garnishing

Instructions

Make Cookie Dough: Add softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Use the paddle attachment and beat until smooth and creamy.
Add cornstarch and lemon zest. Beat again until mixed.
Add flour and beat on low until the dough comes together like a crumbly mixture.
Lay a plastic wrap on your work surface and dump the crumbled dough on the wrap.
Using the edges of the plastic wrap gather the dough and make a flattened disc. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or until chill enough to roll the dough.
Roll, Cut & Bake: Lightly flour the work surface (I prefer to use a silicone mat for easy clean up. Once chilled, roll out the dough into ¼ inch thickness.
Cut using a round cookie cutter or desired-shaped cookie cutter. I have used a 2-inch diameter round cookie cutter.
Use a flat spatula to transfer the cutout cookies to the cookie tray (lined with parchment paper). Gather the remaining dough, roll again, and cut. If you feel that the dough has softened then chill again for some time and then roll.
Chill the cookie tray in the refrigerator for around 10 minutes. This prevents cookies from spreading while baking.
Also, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Bake for 10-13 minutes. Let the cookies cool down in the tray itself for 5 minutes.
Then transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool down completely.
Repeat the baking for the remaining cookies.
For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and runny yet thick.
Spread around a teaspoon of frosting in the center of the cookie and let it flow itself. Don't add too much frosting otherwise, it will start to drip from the sides.
Sprinkle with ground pistachio while the frosting is still wet. Let the frosting dry for a few hours before storing them in a container.

Notes

Never skip the chilling steps. Chilled dough ensures the lemon shortbread cookies hold their shape during baking and yield the perfect texture.
When rolling, aim for consistent thickness across the dough to ensure even baking.
Oven temperatures can vary. It is advisable to keep an eye on the cookies to avoid over-baking, which can make them too crispy.
If your glaze is too thick, add a few more drops of lemon juice.
If your glaze is too runny, add more powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.

Nutrition