lemon shortbread cookies with vanilla bean
These lemon shortbread cookies are the perfect trifecta of lemon, vanilla bean and butter. They’re crispy, tender and packed vibrant lemon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 30 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- zest of 4 lemons, grated
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, cool room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- sanding sugar
Instructions
- Combine lemon zest, sugar and salt in a spice grinder or small food processor and process until a smooth, thick paste is formed.
- Place butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until butter is softened and broken up, about 20 seconds. Add lemon paste, powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Mix until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed. Mix in yolk until just combined. Add flour and slowly mix until dough just comes together.
- Scoop dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until very firm.
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Fill a shallow bowl or plate with sanding sugar. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out rounds from the cookie dough slab, re-rolling scraps as needed. Return dough to the refrigerator to chill if it gets too soft. Store unbaked cookies on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan in the refrigerator.
- Dip one side of a cookie round in sanding sugar, pressing down gently to adhere, then transfer to a muffin tin sugared side up. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Bake for 12- 14 minutes, or until cookies are just firm to the touch and edges are a light golden brown.
- Let cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes, then use a knife or small offset spatula to carefully loosen them from the pan. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat baking remaining cookies.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 2-inch cookie
- Calories: 104
- Sugar: 4.4g
- Sodium: 88mg
- Fat: 6.4g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
Find it online: https://www.withspice.com/blog/lemon-shortbread-cookies/