Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Buttery shortbread cookies filled with smooth lemon cream for a bright, tender sandwich cookie.
Lemon shortbread sandwich cookies are built on a simple butter dough that bakes into neat, tender rounds. The cookies are sturdy enough to hold a filling, but they still have the fine crumb and rich flavor that make shortbread worth baking from scratch.
A little lemon zest in the dough keeps the cookie fragrant without making it sharp. The filling carries the brighter lemon flavor, using lemon juice and zest folded into a smooth buttercream so each bite has a clean citrus finish.
Chilling the dough before slicing helps the cookies keep their shape in the oven. Bake them just until the edges turn pale gold; shortbread should stay light rather than deeply browned.
Once the cookies are cool, pair similar sizes and fill them modestly so the lemon cream spreads to the edge without squeezing out. They keep well for several days and taste especially good after the filling has had time to settle into the cookies.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Beat 1 cup softened butter, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, salt, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
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2
Whisk the flour and cornstarch together, then add them to the butter mixture on low speed just until a soft dough forms with no dry streaks.
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3
Divide the dough in half, shape each piece into a 1 1/2-inch-wide log, wrap tightly, and chill until firm enough to slice cleanly, about 30 minutes.
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4
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough into 1/4-inch rounds and arrange them 1 inch apart.
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5
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cookies look set and the edges are barely golden.
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6
Cool the cookies on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and let them cool completely before filling.
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7
Beat the filling butter until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream. Beat until the cream is light, smooth, and spreadable.
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8
Pair cookies of similar size. Spread or pipe about 1 teaspoon lemon cream on the flat side of half the cookies, then top with the remaining cookies and press gently.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter, softened:1 cup
- Powdered Sugar:2/3 cup
- Fine Sea Salt:1/4 teaspoon
- Lemon Zest:2 teaspoons
- Vanilla Extract:1 teaspoon
- All-Purpose Flour:2 cups
- Cornstarch:2 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter, softened, for filling:4 tablespoons
- Powdered Sugar, for filling:1 1/4 cups
- Fresh Lemon Juice:2 tablespoons
- Lemon Zest, for filling:1 teaspoon
- Heavy Cream:1 tablespoon
Tips & Notes
- If the dough gets too firm to slice, let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting.
- For very neat sandwiches, pipe the filling with a small round tip instead of spreading it with a knife.
- Store filled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
