Description
These slice-and-bake lemon shortbread cookies are crisp, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth. Roll the cookie dough in sanding sugar for sweet, crunchy edges!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- ¾ cups (143g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ cup or more sparkling sanding sugar
Instructions
- Zest the lemon into the sugar and mix to coat the sugar with the zest.
- In a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, extract, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy and well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Next, slowly add the flour ½ cup at a time until all the flour has been added. Mix at a low speed until the dough is crumbly, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat only until the dough starts to come off the sides of the bowl and stick together.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, press and shape into a log about 1 ½ -2 inches wide and about 5 inches long. Roll the log in sanding sugar, pressing the sanding sugar into the edges of the dough. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap, place it vertically in a glass, and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and slice the cookies at least 3/8″ thick. Place on the prepared baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes or just until the edges start to brown. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough: If you chill the dough vertically upright in a cup, it prevents one edge from being flat.
- Slice thick: Thicker slices will help the dough from spreading.
- Crumbly dough: The dough will be crumbly at first, but increase the mixer to a higher speed until the dough starts to clump together, then use your hands to press togther and form the logs,
Storage:
- 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.
Bake Times:
Baking time will vary based on the pan type, true oven temperature and how thick you cut the cookies. This is a general guide.
- 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 148
- Sugar: 8.4 g
- Sodium: 49.9 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.4 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 20.3 mg