These slice-and-bake lemon shortbread cookies need only 6 ingredients, including real lemon zest. They’re crisp and buttery, and practically melt-in-your-mouth. Roll the cookie dough in sanding sugar for sweet, crunchy edges!

If you love baking with lemon, try more of my best lemon desserts.

This is my easy recipe for bright, melt-in-your-mouth lemon shortbread cookies packed with fresh zest. While shortbread cookies are a staple on my holiday cookie platters, I love taking them into spring with this zesty lemon version. Every bite just melts in your mouth. I find myself plucking a cookie from the jar (or the freezer!) every time I pass through the kitchen!

In this post, you’ll find tips for perfectly baked, round shortbread cookies packed with lemon flavor. The lemon shortbread cookie dough will need to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, but you can even prepare it the day before. It’ll be ready to slice and bake. If you’re looking for no-chill cookies that are ready to bake right away, try my drop lemon cookies or these almond crescents.

Overhead view of assorted lemon shortbread cookies piled on a plate.

Ingredient Notes

These are the key ingredients you’ll need to make my lemon shortbread cookies. Scroll to the printable recipe card for the exact measurements.

Lemon Zest – Use a microplane or grater to zest the yellow part of the lemon peel (avoid the white pithy part, as it’s bitter). I have an in-depth tutorial on how to zest a lemon that you can refer to. You’ll mix the zest with sugar to release the oils, amplifying the lemon flavor.
Flour – All-purpose flour, measured correctly. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff the flour, then spoon it from the bag into the cup measure. Afterward, level off the flour with the back of a knife or offset spatula. Don’t scoop directly from the bag of flour, or you’ll end up with too much.
Lemon Extract – When I tested these cookies with only lemon zest, I found they lacked a bit of flavor, so I added lemon extract.
Sanding Sugar – To coat the edges of the shortbread cookies for a sparkly, crunchy finish. If you don’t have sanding sugar, granulated sugar will also work. Don’t skip this step!

Quick Tips

Bring the butter to room temperature. If you forget to take it out (we’ve all been there), cut the butter into cubes and microwave it on half power in short, 5-second bursts until softened. Take care that it doesn’t melt.
Line the pan. Line the baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, or at least parchment paper. Leaving the baking sheet unlined results in cookies with darker bottoms and sugar that sticks to the pan.
Don’t overbake. Shortbread cookies should be just browned at the edges and dry on the bottom. If your cookies are golden or browned all over, they’re overbaked.
Rest on the baking sheet. The cookies should cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before you move them to a wire rack, or they may crumble.

Close up of a stack of lemon shortbread cookies with the top cookie broken in half to reveal the buttery center.

How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Here’s how to prepare and bake this easy lemon shortbread recipe.

Mix the butter and sugar. Combine the lemon zest with granulated sugar, and mix well. Next, cream the sugar with butter, lemon extract, and salt until it’s light and fluffy.
Add the flour. Slowly mix the flour into the butter mixture. The dough will look crumbly at first. At this point, beat the dough a little faster so it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It won’t form a uniform ball like traditional cookie dough, but will start to stick together in large clumps.

Wet shortbread dough ingredients creamed together in a mixing bowl. — Cream the butter and sugar.

Dry shortbread ingredients beaten into wet ingredients in a mixing bowl. — Cream the butter and sugar.

Shape the dough. Now, using your hands, bring the dough together. Turn the shortbread dough onto a piece of parchment and shape the dough into two even-sized logs. I like to roll mine to about 2 inches wide by 5 inches long.
Chill the dough. Next, roll the dough logs in sanding sugar (this has to be done while the dough is soft), and tightly wrap them in plastic wrap. Prop the wrapped dough up in a glass. It’ll go into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. You can also prepare your cookie dough the day before to chill overnight.

Lemon shortbread cookie dough in a mixing bowl. — Keep mixing until large chunks form.

Overhead view of logs of lemon shortbread cookie dough rolled in sugar. — Keep mixing until large chunks form.

Slice and bake. When it’s time to bake, unwrap the cookie dough. Slice the log into ⅜ to ½-inch rounds and place them on a lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 375ºF for 9-12 minutes, just until they’re lightly browned at the edges.

The Secret to Perfectly Round Shortbread Cookies

Rather than placing the wrapped cookie dough logs into the fridge as-is, I’ve found that placing the dough upright in a pint glass prevents one side from flattening. This is the key to perfect, round cookies! You can use this same technique for my cranberry orange shortbread cookies and cranberry almond shortbread cookies recipes.

A log of lemon shortbread cookie dough sliced into rounds.

Shortbread Cookie Baking Guide

I like to bake my lemon shortbread cookies so they’re soft and crumbly, and just a little crisp at their sugar-coated edges. Here’s a quick baking guide depending on how you prefer your cookies:

9 minutes: Moist in the middle, but still dry on the bottom.
10 minutes: Soft-baked and just a little brown at the edges. Let the cookies finish baking on the warm cookie sheet.
12 minutes: If you like your shortbread cookies a little crispier.

Can I Freeze the Shortbread Cookie Dough?

Yes! You can make the lemon shortbread cookie dough, roll it into logs, and freeze it for up to 2 months. Double-wrap the dough logs in plastic wrap, chill them first (so they don’t flatten on one side), then transfer them to the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the lemon cookie dough in the fridge. Afterward, slice and bake as directed.

A lemon shortbread cookie leaning against a stack of cookies.

How to Store the Baked Cookies

On the counter. Keep the cooled lemon shortbread cookies stored airtight at room temperature. They’ll be at their freshest within 3-4 days.
Freeze. These lemon cookies freeze well for longer-term storage. Stash them in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature.

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