Lemon Curd Cookies
Posted Apr 05, 2024
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These Lemon Curd Cookies are irresistibly delicious – homemade lemon curd is nestled inside a buttery shortbread thumbprint, baked then topped with a delicious lemon glaze. A bright and cherry cookie perfect to enjoy all year round.
These lemon curd cookies are absolute dessert nirvana. The sweet, buttery shortbread combined with the rich, vanilla-infused lemon curd is a combination made in heaven.
These bakery-quality cookies are easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients. Top them with the delicious lemon glaze for a :::chef’s kiss::: finishing touch.
Lemon Curd Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well. If you use it, increase the sea salt from ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar can be used in place of regular white sugar.
- Pure vanilla extract. vanilla bean paste is a good substitute.
- All-purpose flour. for a gluten-free cookie, use an all-purpose, gluten-free baking flour.
- Lemon curd. I suggest this homemade lemon curd – it’s absolutely divine. Store bought lemon curd works well too.
- Lemon glaze. the only substitute in the glaze that I’d recommend would be half and half or heavy cream in place of whole milk, if desired.
How to Make Lemon Curd Cookies
Let’s walk through this recipe together, and watch the video for additional help!
Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a handheld mixer. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides and continue beating.
Then beat in the vanilla.
Next, add the flour and sea salt and beat on medium-high speed until the dough forms large “crumbs” and pinches together easily – this could take up to 90 seconds.
Once the dough is finished, measure out 1 Tablespoon portions and roll it into balls.
Then, put the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets.
To make the wells/thumbprints, press either your thumb or a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon into center of each dough ball to form a well.
Then, fill each well of the cookies with about 1 tsp of lemon curd – don’t let it overflow the well.
Bake the lemon curd cookies for 15 minutes or until the cookies look set and the bottoms are golden brown (I sometimes peek at the bottom by lifting up a cookie gently with a metal spatula).
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, if you’d like to, make the glaze by whisking together the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl.
Then, drizzle the glaze over the cookies. I prefer to use a piping bag for this so it’s neat.
Let the glaze harden at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Serve
Serve the lemon curd thumbprint cookies room temperature or very slightly chilled.
Store/Freeze
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Lemon Curd Cookies FAQS
Yes, you can easily double the recipe.
Yes – check out this thumbprint cookies recipe for ideas.
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Lemon Curd Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup salted butter
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup lemon curd
Lemon Glaze:
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides and continue beating.
- Add vanilla & beat until combined.
- Add flour and sea salt and beat on medium-high speed until the dough forms large “crumbs” and pinches together easily (this could take up to 90 seconds).
- Measure out 1 Tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Press either your thumb or a 1 tsp measuring spoon into the center of each dough ball to form a well.
- Fill each well of the cookies with about 1 tsp of lemon curd– don’t let it overflow the well.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies look set and the bottoms are golden brown (I sometimes check the bottom by lifting up a cookie gently with a metal spatula).
- Let them cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, make the glaze by whisking together the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Then, drizzle the glaze over the cookies. I prefer to use a piping bag for this so it’s neat.
- Let the glaze harden at room temperature for 1-2 hours, orin the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well. If you use it, increase the sea salt from ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar can be used in place of regular white sugar.
- Pure vanilla extract. vanilla bean paste is a good substitute.
- All-purpose flour. for a gluten-free cookie, use an all-purpose, gluten-free baking flour.
- Lemon curd. I suggest this homemade lemon curd – it’s absolutely divine. Store bought lemon curd works well too.
- Lemon glaze. the only substitute in the glaze that I’d recommend would be half and half or heavy cream in place of whole milk, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
