Creating these Lemon Curd Cookies from scratch is simple. The tangy fresh lemon shortbread base meets smooth, creamy lemon curd filling. Resisting these cookies is futile for lemon lovers.
Why You'll Love These Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
If you're looking for an easy yet delicious treat, then these lemon curd cookies are the perfect no chill cookie recipe. These buttery cookies are filled with a luscious lemon curd center, creating a delicious balance of sweet and tart flavors. Here's why you'll love them:
- Easy to make: These cookies are simple to prepare and can be made in just a few steps.
- Flavorful: The combination of buttery cookies and tangy lemon curd creates a truly delicious taste.
- Versatile: Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies can be enjoyed as a dessert, snack, or even a gift.
Ingredients Overview
These lemon shortbread cookies use simple pantry staples, bright lemon flavor, and a lemon curd center, finished with a light lemon icing.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Lemon Curd Cookies
Lemon shortbread cookies filled with lemon curd = delectable lemon curd cookies that simply melt in your mouth! What's more, you don't have to chill the dough before baking!
Prepare the Lemon Shortbread Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the lemon and vanilla extracts and mix again.
- Add the flour to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing until a shortbread cookie dough forms. It will be crumbly at first.
Fill A Piping Bag With Lemon Curd
- Roll out 1.5" balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough) of shortbread cookie dough and place on the cookie sheet about 2" apart.
- Using the palm of your hand, slightly flatten each cookie ball, then make a thumbprint indentation in the center of each slightly flattened cookie.
- Fill a pastry or icing bag with the prepared lemon curd.
Fill The Lemon Curd Cookies
- Fill each uncooked cookie thumbprint with ½ teaspoon of the lemon curd filling and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the shortbread is firm and barely golden. Don't overfill!
- Remove and set baking sheet on a cooling rack for 20 minutes for the lemon curd to set up before icing.
PRO TIP: Your cookies will look slightly under-baked when it's time to remove them from the oven. Barely any browning. This is to give the most flavor, some chew, and not have crumbly shortbread. The cookies will continue to cook and firm up more on the hot baking sheet while cooking.
While the cookies are baking in the oven, prepare the lemon icing.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk in a small mixing bowl.
- Using a spatula, blend powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth.
- Transfer the lemon icing to a new piping bag and snip the end off. When the lemon curd cookies have cooled, drizzle the icing in a thin stream over the cookies in a zig-zag pattern. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the icing to set before serving.
PRO TIP: For even more lemon flavor, zest a lemon and scatter a little lemon zest on top of these freshly iced lemon curd cookies!
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these lemon curb cookies with a cup of tea, coffee, or a glass of milk for a simple yet satisfying snack. For a more indulgent experience, serve these cookies alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. They also make a wonderful addition to dessert platters or as a special treat for guests.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations using this recipe as a base:
- You can use any delicious jam in exchange for the lemon curd. Not only that, but I have seen jars of Lime Curd!
- Raspberry Lemon Thumbprints - Make the lemon curd cookies recipe with the thumbprint indentations. Use a raspberry jam for the thumbprint filling, and bake.
- Chocolate Shortbread Thumbprints - Make the lemon curd cookies recipe without the lemon extract. After making the thumbprints, add a Hershey's Kiss to the indentation and bake. Another chocolate thumbprint option is to bake the thumbprint cookies without the filling, then when cool, fill with Nutella!
- Apricot Thumbprint Cookies - With the buttery shortbread and fruit apricot jam filling, these cookies scream Purim to me! They taste so much like the tri-corner Hamantaschen cookies that I simply adore! Make lemon curd cookies recipe without the lemon extract, and use Apricot preserves for the filling. Drizzle icing over them just like the lemon curd thumbprint cookies.
Tips for Success
- Leave the cooling lemon curd cookies on the baking sheet to finish cooking.
- Icing thumbprint cookies is easiest when you leave the cooled cookies on the baking sheet and parchment paper. Drizzle the icing, then transfer to a plate. Clean up is a breeze!
- Adding a little lemon zest to the cookies or icing amps up the lemon flavor even more!
- Get the most from your lemons: How To Juice A Lemon Like A Pro.
Storage Options
- Refrigerate leftover lemon curd cookies in a covered storage container, in layers separated with some parchment paper, foil, or even wax paper.
- You can also freeze them for later, for up to three months.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes they do. Lemon curd is made with eggs and milk, so it's like a lemon cream pie filling. Lemon curd needs refrigeration. Refrigerate these cookies if they last longer than a day.
Similar, but slightly different. Lemon curd is egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and butter. For Lemon pie filling, or lemon custard, the ingredients are milk, eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Lemon curd is more translucent, and lemon custard is more opaque. They both need to be refrigerated also.
True shortbread is simply butter, sugar, and flour. Perhaps a dash of salt and some extract for flavor, but that's it. As long as you remove your lemon shortbread thumbprints when they are just barely browning, you won't have crumbly cookies!
Dessert Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- Large Rimmed Cookie sheet with cooling racks
Ingredients
For the Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- ½ cup butter unsalted, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
Lemon Curd Filling
- ½ cup Lemon curd in the Jam & Jelly grocery aisle
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoon milk
- lemon zest freshly grated, Optional
Homemade Lemon Curd (Optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from the lemon, BEFORE squeezing it
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- ¼ cup butter unsalted
Instructions
Make the Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the lemon and vanilla extracts and mix again.½ cup butter, ⅓ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon lemon extract, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing until a shortbread cookie dough forms.1 cup flour
- Roll out 1.5" balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough) of shortbread cookie dough and place on the cookie sheet about 2" apart.
- Using the palm of your hand, slightly flatten each cookie ball, then make a thumbprint indentation in the center of each slightly flattened cookie.
- Fill a pastry or icing bag with the prepared lemon curd.½ cup Lemon curd
- Fill each uncooked cookie thumbprint with some of the lemon curd filling and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the shortbread is firm and barely golden. PRO TIP: Fill about ½ teaspoon of lemon curd in each thumbprint. Don't overfill!
- Remove and set baking sheet on a cooling rack for 20 minutes for the lemon curd to set up before icing.
For the Lemon Icing
- While the cookies are baking in the oven, prepare the lemon icing.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk in a small mixing bowl. Using a spatula, blend powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon milk
- Transfer the lemon icing to a new piping bag and snip the end off. When the lemon curd cookies have cooled, drizzle the icing in a thin stream over the cookies in a zig zag pattern. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the icing to set before serving.PRO TIP: For even more lemon flavor, zest a lemon and scatter a little lemon zest on top of these freshly iced lemon curd cookies!lemon zest
For Homemade Lemon Curd
- Put the lemon zest and sugar in medium heat proof bowl and mix. Add in the lemon juice and egg yolks and whisk to combine.1 teaspoon lemon zest, ½ cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, ½ cup lemon juice
- Create a double boiler by bringing 2 inches of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place the heatproof glass bowl on top and make sure it's not touching the water.
- Whisk continuously and gently for a creamy texture and even cooking. Once thickened, remove the glass bowl from the heat. Cut the butter into chunks and whisk into the lemon curd until fully combined and smooth.¼ cup butter
- You can run the hot lemon curd thru a sieve or leave as is to cool and set up. After set, refrigerate between uses.
Notes
- Leave the cooling lemon curd cookies on the baking sheet to finish cooking.
- Icing thumbprint cookies is easiest when you leave the cooled cookies on the baking sheet and parchment paper. Drizzle the icing, then transfer to a plate. Clean up is a breeze!
- Adding a little lemon zest to the cookies or icing amps up the lemon flavor even more!
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