Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are super easy to make. They come together with a few simple ingredients. For these Lemon Thyme Shortbread cookies, we use a mix of bright, sunshiny bursts of lemon flavor coupled with the subtle earthiness of seasonal thyme
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 170kcal
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest zest of 1 large lemon
Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest zest of 1 large lemon
Instructions
Make Lemon Sugar
- In a mason jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid, mix together the granulated sugar and lemon zest, rubbing together between your fingers to release the oils. Cover tightly and set aside
Make Shortbread Dough
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, salt and lemon juice until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose and cake flours. With the mixer on low, mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Add the thyme and lemon zest and stir just until combined. Roll out the dough to a ¼- ½-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Flour a clean work surface and place cookie dough on top. Cut the refrigerated dough into 2-inch rounds (dip the cookie cutter in flour if the dough is sticking to it) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 1 inch apart (cookies will not spread much)
- Bake the cookies until just golden at the edges, about 15-17 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with lemon sugar. Let cool completely before serving
Notes
- Store cooled cookies at room temperature in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days
- Cookies may be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature and serve
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal
