Irresistible lemon curd cookies are super easy to make. These buttery thumbprint cookies feature a shortbread crust with luscious lemon curd centers. Celebrate long days and hot nights with these tangy summer treats.
Enjoying a lemon curd cookie is like snacking on a ray of sunshine. Lightly crisp with a soft tangy center, this shortbread dessert almost melts in your mouth. Pair lemon thumbprint cookies with a cold refreshing glass of milk.
Bake these exquisite treats for Easter, Mother’s Day, 4th of July celebrations, backyard summer parties, church socials, and hostess gifts. Make a double batch. Freeze half for later and enjoy half right now.
Lemon curd cookies are also ideal for afternoon tea. Arrange the thumbprint cookies on a small tiered tray along with other bite-sized desserts like peanut butter blossoms and vanilla creme sandwich cookies. When hosting a tea party be sure to include mini cucumber sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS
- Unsalted Butter: This ingredient is the base of our shortbread cookies. It adds tenderness, richness and flavor. I recommend high-quality butter like Tillamook, or the Kirkland brand from Costco.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and flavor, and locks in moisture.
- Large Egg: Adds structure and texture, and helps bind the cookie dough ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the other ingredients. I prefer Mexican vanilla extract. It has a rich buttery taste and bakery aroma.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for the cookie dough and prevents it from spreading too much in the oven. For even measuring, take a spoon and fluff up the flour in the bag. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup (overfilling it), then swipe off the excess with a knife.
- Sea Salt: This seasoning balances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Lemon Curd: You can use homemade lemon curd (my preference), or store-bought lemon curd from a jar. The most flavorful brands (taste, texture, color) are Trader Joe’s, Bonne Maman, and Waitrose.
- Powdered Sugar: Adds an extra touch of sweetness while providing the lemon curd cookies with a classic lemon-bar look.
RECIPE STEPS
RECIPE PREP: Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone mats. Set them aside.
- STEP 1: Add softened butter and granulated sugar the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until buttery mixture is light and fluffy.
- STEP 2: Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine.
- STEP 3: With the mixer on low speed, add the salt. Gradually and slowly add in the flour. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix just until the dough comes together into a ball around the paddle attachment. Do not overmix.
- STEP 4: With a (1-tablespoon) metal scoop, portion dough into balls. Roll the pieces between the palms of your hands until smooth and round. Arrange on prepared trays, leaving them least 2-inches apart. Gently press down on each ball to flatten the surface a bit.
- STEP 5: With the back of a spoon or your thumb, press 1/2-inch-deep wells into the center of each cookie. Chill them in the freezer for 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F.
- STEP 6: Once the dough has chilled, fill the middle of each cookie with 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon curd.
- STEP 7: Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, or just until the bottoms turn golden blonde. Remove the treats from the oven. Let them remain on the pan to cool completely.
- STEP 8: Dust the lemon curd cookies with powdered sugar. They’re now ready to serve and enjoy.
RECIPE FAQ
These are the most commonly asked questions when making lemon curd cookies, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Yes you can with one simple recipe tweak. When using salted butter, eliminate the 1/2 teaspoon salt from the recipe. (Each cube of salted butter contains approximately 1/4 teaspoon salt.)
Unwrap the cube of butter. Cut it into tiny little pieces. Spread out the pieces on the butter wrapper. Let it sit out on the countertop to soften. It will take about 15 minutes. So quick and easy.
Make your own powdered sugar at home! It’s super easy to do. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon corn starch to the jar of a high-speed blender. Blend for 35 seconds or until fluffy. Recipe yield: 2 cups powdered sugar. Store unused sugar in an airtight container.
No. For food safety, this is not recommended. Because lemon curd cookies feature lemon curd centers, they must be stored in the fridge. Arrange them in a single layer inside a parchment paper-lined airtight container. Refrigerate up to 5 days.
Yes you can. Let cookies cool completely. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking tray leaving space between pieces. Freeze until solid. Wrap each frozen cookie in plastic wrap or squares of parchment. Transfer to a plastic airtight container lined with 2 layers of parchment paper. Wrap container in plastic and freeze up to 1 month.
MORE DESSERTS WITH LEMON CURD
If you have leftover lemon curd on hand you are super lucky! Here are more great ways to use it up. Make one or more of these tasty desserts. Add them to your recipe collection. Pin them to Pinterest.
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Taste testers rated these the BEST lemon curd cookies. They enjoyed the light crisp texture of the shortbread, along with the vibrant flavor of the delicious lemony centers. They said hands down, this recipe’s a winner!
If you agree these lemon thumbprint cookies are bakery-quality desserts, give them a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with a friend or pin it to Pinterest.
Lemon Curd cookies
- Total Time: 55 Minutes
- Yield: 18 Cookies 1x
Description
Irresistible lemon curd cookies are classic summer treats! These buttery shortbread cookies boast bright and luscious tangy centers. Prep this easy recipe in 15 minutes, chill the cookies then bake.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup lemon curd, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone mats. Set them aside.
- Add softened butter and granulated sugar the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until the buttery mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, add in the salt. Gradually and slowly add in the flour. Stop mixer as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix just until the dough comes together into a ball around the paddle attachment.
- With a (1-tablespoon) metal scoop, portion dough into balls. Roll them between the palms of your hands until smooth and round. Place the balls on the prepared trays at least 2-inches apart. Gently press down on each ball to flatten the surface a bit. With the back of a spoon or your thumb, press 1/2-inch-deep wells into the center of each cookie.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. While the oven is heating, stick the trays of cookies in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
- Fill the middle of each cookie with 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon curd. Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, or just until the bottoms turn golden blonde. Remove the treats from the oven. Let them remain on the pan to cool completely.
- Dust the lemon curd cookies with powdered sugar. They’re now ready to serve and enjoy.
Notes
ABOUT THE BUTTER: This is the base of the shortbread cookies. I recommend high-quality butter like Tillamook, or the Kirkland brand from Costco. If using salted butter, eliminate the 1/2 teaspoon salt from the recipe. Each cube of salted butter contains approximately 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Chill Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Lemon Curd Cookies, Lemon Thumbprint Cookies, Cookies with Lemon Curd, Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
LEMON CURD COOKIES > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Have you ever experienced the joy of freshly-baked lemon thumbprint cookies? Was it at a coffee shop or bakery? Share your thoughts on lemon curd cookies in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
I made these cookies for my Granny. She had been craving a lemon curd dessert. She said these were even better than the lemon curd cookies her sister (who owned a bake shop) would make back in the day. I’m saving this recipe to make it again!
★★★★★