The lemon trees in my backyard are so full of bright yellow lemons the branches are drooping, which is actually a good thing since it makes it easier to reach the tall branches. I love my trees but picking the lemons requires full body armor because lemon trees are notorious for having thick and super pointy thorns. Since I have deer in my yard this is one thing they won’t eat, so my lemons are safe, however, the rest of my garden is fair game.
Just picked lemons
Now that my lemons are picked it’s time for lots of lemon treats. Cookies and lemonade are always a must and these Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies are a favorite. Grated lemons flavors these buttery slice and bake cookies and a pretty yellow sanding sugar add a delightful crunch.
It is amazing how three simple ingredients flour, butter, and sugar can bake into these delightful cookies. If you like, add in the flavoring of your choice such as vanilla bean, citrus, ginger, or pecans to name some of my favorite flavors. Honestly, plain shortbreads are delicious too!
Homemade Lemon Shortbread Cookies
These tender lemon shortbreads are slightly sweet with a rich buttery taste and the bits of lemon peel add some zest to these crumbly cookies that melt in your mouth.
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Here are two of my favorite lemon recipes for you to make and enjoy
If you love lemon recipes here is a favorite – Sweet, Tart and Tangy Lemon Cake. This tasty cake is moist with bits of lemon in the cake and it’s topped with a sweet lemon glaze.
Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies are bursting with fresh lemon flavor inside the cookie and in the sweet frosting.
Your shortbread cookie ingredients –
- Butter
- Sugar
- Cake Flour
- Lemons
- Sanding Sugar
- Food Coloring
How to make shortbread cookies
Did I mention how easy these cookies are to make? Another reason to love them. You simply beat the softened butter with a mixer, add in the sugar, flour and for this recipe the zested lemon peel. Mix to combine and you are done. Fast and easy!
When your dough is made divide it in half and roll into logs about 2 inches wide. Wrap the logs in wax paper and chill for about an hour. At this point, you can wrap these cookie rolls in plastic wrap for another day or freeze them.
Why do you chill shortbread cookies?
Shortbread cookies contain a large amount of butter and chilling the dough before baking solidifies the butter. If you don’t chill the dough the cookies will melt too fast in the oven and lose their shapes.
Rolling shortbread in sugar
One thing I have added to these cookies is rolling them in colored sanding sugar. This is optional but I love the color and crunch it gives to the shortbreads. Since I bake a lot I keep white sanding sugar on hand and color it to go with what I am baking. You can also use regular sugar but it will not bake as well as the sanding sugar.
What is sanding sugar
Sanding sugar is perfect to use when baking. This sugar has large sparkly crystals that do not dissolve in baking and add a perfect little crunch to your baked goods.
Try sprinkling sanding sugar on top of all types of baked goods like bread, scones, turnovers or muffins.
How to make colored sanding sugar
It is easy and actually kind of fun to color the sugar. Simply put your sugar in a bowl, add a few drops of gel food coloring and stir. Pretty amazing!
If you want to roll the dough in the colored sugar do this immediately after you roll it into the logs. You have to do this while your cookie dough is warm so the sugar will stick to it.
After the dough is chilled simply cut into 1/4″ slices. When you slice the dough you can see all the lemon peel speckled throughout.
Mix ~ Roll ~Chill ~ Slice ~ Bake
Looking for more shortbread cookie recipes? Here are two One Hot Oven recipes for you to enjoy.
Rose Petal Shortbread Cookies have a hint of rose flavor baked right in and these cookies are topped rose petals.
Chai Shortbread Cookies have the spicy flavors of chai with a sweet chai icing.
Let’s bake some very lemony cookies
Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups cake flour
- 3 lemons, zested approx. 1/4 cup
- 2 cups Sanding sugar optional
- food color optional
Instructions
Making the Optional Sanding Sugar
- Place the sanding sugar in a large bowl then add the drop of food coloring. Mix well to incorporate the color. Add more food coloring if needed.
Making the Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees
- Add the softened butter to a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until incorporated.
- Add the cake flour 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture, and mix well after each addition.
- Add in the lemon zest and mix well.
- Divide the dough in half and form the dough into two logs that are about 1 1/2" thick.
- If you are rolling the shortbreads in sanding sugar do that immediately after you roll the two logs. You want the dough to be a bit warm and tacky from rolling so the sugar will stick to the dough.
- Slice the dough into 1/4" thick slices on a place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- If you are not using the sanding sugar simply lice the dough into 1/4" thick slices on a place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Melt In Your Mouth Lemon Cookies
Shortbread cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to three weeks. Ours never last that long!
Our course I am having some tea with my cookies.
If you love lemon recipes here is a favorite – Sweet, Tart and Tangy Lemon Cake. This tasty cake is moist with bits of lemon in the cake and it’s topped with a sweet lemon glaze.
More delicious lemon flavors
Don’t forget to pin to your cookie board on Pinterest.
Do you need some baking supplies for this recipe?
I love using sanding sugar on my cookies for extra flavor and decor and use gel food color to tint your sugar with all these pretty colors.
I get asked about my copper cooling rack. This round rack is the perfect size for a batch of cookies and the copper color is so pretty. A super important tool for the kitchen is a Microplane grater/zester, it the perfect way to grate lemons.
Thanks for stopping by One Hot Oven and happy cookie baking to you.
these are soo good! thanks for sharing… i did however cut them too thinly and overcrowded the pan woops! but still super crispy and very light and all around delectable ❤️ will definitely make these again!
Shortbread cookies are my weakness! Their the perfect treat for afternoon tea or when you just need a little bit fo something sweet. I love that you used fresh lemon in these. They sound lovely!
I love shortbread cookies too. They are not too sweet and I love the crumbly texture.
I love lemon anything and shortbread is my favorite kind of cookie so this is a winner for me!
It’s hard to go wrong with lemon flavor.
We have more lemons so decided to make another batch and freeze them for later.
These do look so crisp and I love the sound of that coating
These shortbreads are the perfect crispness.
these look just so delish,I like everything with lemon in it so I might give this recipe a try
Shortbreads are my favorite cookies and I’m always on the look out for new ways to make them, these sound so delicious, will bake a batch this weekend!
such an easy recipe and perfect for spring!
These look lovely Jere! I agree just 4 ingredients is a nice bonus too!
Thank you so much!