Ingredients (~12 cookies)
Lemon Curd
- 1 1/2 eggs (1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk)
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
Lemon Sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Shortbread Cookies
- 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 1 oz powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 oz all-purpose flour, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Make the Lemon Curd (Day Before)
Pour 3 Tbsp lemon juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until smooth.
Once the lemon juice boils, slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture while whisking constantly; this keeps the eggs from scrambling.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking continuously to prevent burning. The curd is done when it coats the back of a wooden spoon – usually ~3-4 minutes.
Press the curd through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps.
Stir in 2 Tbsp cold butter and mix until completely melted. Cover directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
The plastic wrap touching the surface prevents a skin from forming.
Make the Lemon Sugar
Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and zest of 1/2 lemon in a food processor. Pulse until the zest is finely ground and mixed with the sugar.
You could also just mix this by hand, but the food processor makes the zest finer.
Make the Cookie Dough
Cream 4 oz softened butter, 1 oz powdered sugar, and zest of 1/2 lemon for ~2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Sift 5 oz flour and a pinch of salt directly over the butter mixture. Mix just until combined – don’t overwork the dough or the cookies will be tough.
Shape and Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop the dough with a tablespoon and roll into balls with your hands. Roll each ball in the lemon sugar, then place on the parchment-lined sheet ~2 inches apart.
Using the back of a tablespoon, gently press each cookie to create a small divot on top. Freeze for 20 minutes – this helps them hold their shape.
Bake for ~15-17 minutes, turning the sheet pan halfway through. The edges should be set but not browned.
As soon as they come out, use a teaspoon to gently press the centers again to make deeper wells for the lemon curd.
Cool completely on the baking sheet before filling.
Fill and Serve
Once the cookies are completely cool, fill each center with ~1/2 tsp of lemon curd.
Serve immediately after filling – the curd will make the cookies soggy if they sit too long.
Lemon Curd Cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 1 1/2 eggs, 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
Lemon Sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Shortbread Cookies
- 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 1 oz powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 oz all-purpose flour, sifted
- Pinch salt
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Boil 3 Tbsp lemon juice in a small saucepan.
- Whisk 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl until smooth.
- Slowly drizzle hot lemon juice into egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking continuously, until it coats the back of a spoon, about 3-4 minutes.
- Press curd through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
- Stir in 2 Tbsp cold butter until melted, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- Pulse 1/4 cup sugar and zest of 1/2 lemon in food processor until finely ground.
- Cream 4 oz softened butter, 1 oz powdered sugar, and zest of 1/2 lemon for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Sift 5 oz flour and pinch of salt over butter mixture and mix just until combined.
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls, coat in lemon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
- Press each cookie with back of a tablespoon to create a divot and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Bake 15-17 minutes, turning pan halfway through, until edges are set but not browned.
- Immediately press centers again with a teaspoon to deepen wells, then cool completely on baking sheet.
- Fill each cookie with 1/2 tsp lemon curd and serve immediately.