Lemon Shortbread Biscuits

Lemon Shortbread Biscuits

These lemon shortbread cookies are flavored with lemon zest and topped with a delicious lemon glaze.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Chilling Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Servings40 biscuits

saltyginger.comMary-Lou

Equipment

Stand Mixer OR
Electric hand mixer
9x9 Inch (23x23cm) Square Cake Pan

Ingredients

Lemon Shortbread

170 grams butter (Room temperature*note 1)
60 grams icing sugar (powdered/confectioner's)
100 grams caster sugar (fine/superfine sugar *Note 2)
240 grams plain flour (all-purpose/standard grade)
½ teaspoon table salt
zest of a lemon

Lemon Glaze

60 grams icing sugar (powdered/confectioner's)
2-4 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

In a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), whip the butter, sugar, and icing sugar together until the butter is light. fluffy and aerated. *Note 3
170 grams butter, 60 grams icing sugar, 100 grams caster sugar
Add in the flour, salt, and lemon zest. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. If using a stand mixer, mixer on low speed until a soft pliable dough forms. Knead the dough 3 to 5 times bringing the dough together in all.
240 grams plain flour, ½ teaspoon table salt, zest of a lemon
For rolled cookies: Place the dough on a piece of parchment/baking paper and pat it into a rough square shape. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until between 0.5 and 1cm thick. Then cut the dough using a cookie cutter about 4cm across.
For pressed cookies: Press the dough into a 9-inch square or round cake pan (or tart - lined with baking paper with an overhang for easy removal). Dock or prick the biscuits with a fork.
Place the biscuits in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking. *Note 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C/355F.
For rolled cookies: Line a large baking tray/baking sheet with baking paper. Place the biscuits on the lined cookie sheet, approximately 3cm apart.
For biscuits that were rolled and cut out, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chilled biscuits on the lined baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes. The biscuits are done when lightly golden brown in color. Remove from heat and allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before gently lifting onto a cooling rack.
For pressed cookies: Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the biscuits are nicely golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow cool on a wire rack. Then lift out of the tin and slice.
In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice and mix to form a glaze. Drizzle the lemon icing over the cooled biscuits, and allow the glaze to set before serving.
60 grams icing sugar, 2-4 teaspoons lemon juice

All temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. Decrease the temperature by 20°C/25°F or gas mark 1 for "fan" or air-fryers.

Notes

Room Temperature butter is essential for this recipe. Remember that room temperature is around 20°C/68F. Butter from the fridge can take up to an hour to reach room temperature (depending on the size of the block of butter).
Caster sugar can be substituted with granulated sugar.
The butter must be at room temperature for this step - see my tips on room-temperature ingredients above. For a more intense lemon flavor, first beat the caster sugar together with the lemon zest before adding in the icing sugar and butter and continuing with the beating.
This allows the cookies to fully hydrate, for the butter to set and allows the flavors to fully develop. Resting the dough will also stop the cookies from spreading in the oven during baking.

Storage and Freezing

Biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks. These baked cookies can also be placed in an airtight tin and frozen for up to 3 months.

If you want to make the shortbread dough in advance, it can be kept in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to a month. If frozen, simply defrost in the fridge overnight before baking.

Nutrition