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The Best Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe (Buttery & Melt-in-Your-Mouth)

The Best Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Buttery lemon shortbread cookies made with fresh zest and a light lemon glaze. The cookies stay pale and tender with crisp edges and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon Shortbread Cookies
  • 1 cup (226 g) Unsalted butter, softened but not melted
  • 2/3 cup (75-85 g) Confectioners’ sugar
  • about 2 tablespoons Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 1-2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups (240-250 g) All-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, optional
Optional Lemon Glaze
  • 1 cup (115 g) Confectioners’ sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Finely grated lemon zest, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Cream the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth and pale, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla if using.
  2. Add the flour and salt, then mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix, since too much mixing can make shortbread tough.
  3. Shape the dough into a disk or log, wrap it well, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick for cutouts, or slice a chilled log into rounds.
  4. Arrange the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets with a small amount of space between them. If the dough feels soft after cutting, chill the shaped cookies for another 10-15 minutes.
  5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-14 minutes, until the cookies look set and the edges are only lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
  6. For the glaze, whisk confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice and optional zest until smooth. Spread or drizzle it over completely cooled cookies and let it set before serving.

Notes

Zest the lemons before squeezing them, using only the yellow outer peel and avoiding the bitter white pith. Shortbread should remain relatively pale; do not wait for deep browning. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.