I made these cookies last June when my son was still living in Switzerland and came to visit us for a few days. I made them the day before he left so that he could take some with him and share them with his room mates, but by the next day the three of them were eating them and there were much less than I expected for him to take with him.
I was google searching for cookies when I found this one at The Joy of Baking. As Stephanie Zarowski says, these shortbreads are traditionally a Christmas cookie made with just four ingredients, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour. They are a rich cookie with a delicate buttery flavor. These cookies freeze very well so they are the perfect cookie to make for the holiday season.
I adjusted the recipe as I wanted to make a lot of cookies and just made a few minor changes to the recipe, adding lemon zest, as I love the taste of lemon. I used self raising flour merely because I did not have all purpose flour and added some corn flour, as she suggested. After cutting the cookies and putting them in the baking tin, I sprinkled them with a little sugar on top.
After they were baked I still thought that something was missing, as the taste of lemon was not very noticeable, so as I had more butter I decided to make a lemon butter cream to give them an extra lemon taste. These cookies were perfect and melted in your mouth.
Lemon cookies
Makes 64 double cookies
Ingredients
- 360 grams butter, softened
- 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (preferably from organic non waxed lemons)
- 160 grams icing sugar
- 500 grams self raising flour
- 80 grams corn flour (starch)
For the filling:
- 125 grams butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
- 160 grams icing sugar, sifted
Directions
- In the bowl of your mixer cream the butter until smooth. Add the lemon zest and icing sugar and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy (about five minutes). Reduce speed and gently fold in the flour and corn flour until fully incorporated. Remove to your working surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes until firm.
- Preheat the oven at 180°C (350°F).
- Roll out half the dough between sheets of cling film and using a cookie cutter, cut out the cookies. Add any scraps of dough to the remaining dough and roll out as before and continue until all the dough is used.
- Line the baking tin with parchment paper and place the cookies, leaving a gap between each cookie so as not to stick together when baked.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool and continue baking the remaining.
- Put all the filling ingredients into a bowl and beat together with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- When the cookies have cooled, spread the filling on one of the cookies and sandwich with a second.
If you have missed my previous post, there is still time to leave a comment and win a very useful kitchen gadget.
This recipe goes to Cinzia of Cindystar, for her event Baking under the Christmas Tree.
Other relevant recipes:
Kourabiedes (Greek Christmas Shortbread Cookies)
Melomakarona (Greek Honey Cookies)
Orange flavoured Almond and Pecan Cookies
Bitter Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Tags: buttercream, Christmas, cookies and biscuits, Lemons
December 20th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
X'mas time is the cookie time! Lemony shortbread cookies are not only great for the holidays, but also wonderful for daily consumption!
December 20th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
They look great Ivy. I think I had a cookie overdose though
December 20th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
You can never get too many cookie recipes! They look beautiful Ivy! Nice touch with the lemon butter cream.
December 21st, 2009 at 1:37 am
I love short bread cookies and the picture has made me drool….I would love to try them.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:20 am
I am a great fan of short bread cookies and they look delicious too. Happy Holidays Ivy.
- Siri
December 21st, 2009 at 3:33 am
I love lemon desserts!!!! Those cookies sounds delicious and look really cute!
December 21st, 2009 at 4:23 am
The lemony flavor sounds excellent and I love the cute flower shapes!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:03 am
Lovely cute cookies. I am sure my children would have done exactly the same.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:37 am
Yay for lemon! Great job for your shortbread
I love The Joy of Baking… so many great recipes there!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:18 am
oo,ivy ,i love cokies with lemon!these are so delicate!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:48 am
Your cookies look delicious and your son is very lucky !
December 21st, 2009 at 10:53 am
Très réussis. Bravo!!
Je t' aurais bien pris un ou deux biscuits au passage.
A bientôt.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
These look gorgeous Ivy - I love citrus flavoured cookies.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:40 pm
It really does make life easier if treats freeze well doesn't it?
I love the idea of adding lemon! I have never had lemon shortbread before.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
These cookies look wonderful !
December 21st, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Melt in mouth cookies!!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:32 pm
These look so dainty. I think I may have been tempted to color them yellow though!
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:14 am
These sound fantastic! I love lemony cookies, and the lemon butter cream sounds just delicious.
December 22nd, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Cookies lok perfect and pretty!
December 22nd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I love shortbread cookies and the addition of lemon must make them a real treat.
Have a wonderful Christmas with friends and family and please remember to save some of your amazing food for me, LOL.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
What tasty looking cookies! Happy Holidays to you and your family, Ivy!
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:29 pm
The lemon cream sounds so good Ivy. I love the tart lemon paired with the sweetness. Merry Christmas!
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I lovel emony cookies and these look fantastic!
Kala Xristougenna Ivy kai Eutixismeno to Neo Etos!
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I love shortbread at Christmas time and the addition of lemon taste sounds perfect!
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
They look so great Ivy….lemon cream sounds delicious!
December 28th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
YUM!!!! Will be made soon! I love lemon.
January 19th, 2010 at 11:04 am
These are easy to make and wonderful