Lemon Thumbprint Cookies are tender, shortbread-style cookies made by hand—no mixer wanted—with a mixture of flour, cornstarch, two sugars, chilly butter, lemon zest, egg yolks, and vanilla. The chilled dough is rolled into balls, coated in granulated sugar, baked till flippantly golden, then stuffed with lemon curd. These buttery cookies have a crisp sugary exterior and a mushy and tender inside.
Lemon Sugar Cookies Stuffed with Lemon Curd are good for Spring, Easter, and even Christmas!
These Lemon Thumbprint Cookies are like little bursts of sunshine! Their delicate, buttery texture, just like my almond and hazelnut shortbread cookies, pairs completely with the refreshing, brilliant lemon taste in each chunk. I like making these cookies stuffed with zesty lemon curd for spring and Easter celebrations—and I wouldn’t thoughts including them to my Christmas cookie lineup, both! And in case you’re into enjoyable, distinctive cookies, don’t miss my crème brûlée cookies—simply as particular and simply as scrumptious.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: Use spoon-and-level methodology to measure utilizing measuring cups for accuracy—an excessive amount of could make the dough dry.
- Cornstarch: Optionally available however softens the feel and provides a slight melt-in-your-mouth really feel.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances lemon taste—don’t skip it.
- Powdered sugar: Dissolves simply, making the dough easy with out creaming.
- White granulated sugar: Provides construction and refined crispness to the cookies.
- Lemon zest: Use recent zest and keep away from the bitter white pith for the brightest citrus taste.
- Unsalted butter: Maintain it chilly—minimize into cubes to make rubbing into the dry components simpler.
- Egg yolks: Bind the dough and add richness; save the whites for an additional use.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the lemon fantastically.
- White granulated sugar: Roll cookie dough on this earlier than baking for a crisp, sparkly exterior.
- Lemon curd: I used high-quality store-bought, however home made will style even brisker (I’ll put up my very own model of home made lemon curd quickly!)
- Tip: The picture beneath reveals all components you want. Take a screenshot and add to your procuring listing:
Learn how to Make Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Put together dry components: I began by sifting the flour, cornstarch, and powdered sugar into a giant bowl. Then I tossed within the granulated sugar and lemon zest and gave all of it an excellent combine.
Add butter: Subsequent, I added the chilly, cubed butter and used my fingertips to rub it into the dry components till the combination seemed like wonderful breadcrumbs. It takes a couple of minutes, nevertheless it’s completely price it for that good cookie texture.
Add yolks and vanilla and chill the cookie dough within the fridge: I whisked the yolks with a fork, added them and the vanilla to the bowl, then used a butter knife to chop every little thing collectively. As soon as it began holding, I introduced it right into a easy ball with my arms. Wrapped it up cosy and let it chill within the fridge for an hour. As soon as chilled, I preheated the oven to 350ºF, lined two baking sheets, and arrange a shallow bowl of sugar for rolling.
Form the cookies and bake: As soon as chilled, I preheated the oven to 350ºF, lined two baking sheets with parchment, and poured some sugar right into a shallow bowl for rolling. Then I portioned out the dough into tablespoon-sized balls (just below 1 ounce (or 21 grams) every in case you’re feeling exact), rolled them in sugar like tiny snowballs, and spaced them out on the trays.
Fill with lemon curd: I baked them for about 12 minutes, simply till the sides turned a mushy golden shade. Proper out of the oven, I pressed a bit effectively into every cookie—thumb or picket spoon deal with, your alternative. Lastly, I crammed these buttery craters with lemon curd and allow them to cool utterly on a wire rack. And sure, I could have eaten one heat. For science.
Ideas for Success
- Ensure you correctly measure your flour by fluffing it up then spoon it right into a measuring cup and stage the highest.
- The cornstarch is non-obligatory however including it should assist in direction of reaching a mushy texture.
- To sweeten these cookies we use each powdered sugar and granulated sugar. As we aren’t beating the butter and sugar in a stand mixer we used a better proportion of powdered sugar as a result of it dissolves and is distributed simply when the butter is rubbed in. Rubbing the butter into the opposite components is a technique that makes these cookies extra shortbread like in texture.
- I examined these Lemon Thumbprint Cookies by rolling them powdered sugar and likewise one other batch in granulated sugar. I discovered that the cookies rolled in powdered sugar didn’t actually give us the crinkle-cookie impact we have been hoping for therefore rolling in granulated sugar gave the perfect outcomes. Our style testers LOVED that these cookies had a crunchy sugar outer coating and stated they have been the perfect lemon cookies they’ve ever eaten. Excessive reward certainly!
- I used an excellent store-bought lemon curd for these cookies however you might after all make your individual and use that as a substitute. The truth is, I’ve my very own recipe for home made lemon curd arising quickly on the web site! Alternatively, these cookies might be stuffed with one thing like a lime curd or any taste of jam.
- I used some white and yellow edible violas to embellish these lovely little cookies however that’s totally non-obligatory!
Storage Directions
Any leftover Lemon Thumbprint Cookies ought to be saved in an hermetic container and saved at room temperature the place they’ll keep recent for a few week.
Extra Lemon Desserts
Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
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Components
For the cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from one giant lemon
- ¾ cup unsalted butter cubed and chilly from the fridge
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lemon curd retailer purchased or home made
Directions
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In a big mixing bowl sift the flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar and blend effectively. Add the sugar and lemon zest and blend to mix.
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Add the cubed butter to the blending bowl and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the opposite components till it resembles wonderful breadcrumbs.
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Calmly whisk the egg yolks with a fork and add them to the blending bowl together with the vanilla extract. Use a knife to “minimize” the components collectively till the flour combination has moistened, then use your arms to briefly knead right into a easy dough.
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Cowl the dough with cling wrap and put it within the fridge to sit back for one hour.
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As soon as the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two giant cookie sheets with parchment paper. Fill a shallow bowl with the white sugar prepared for coating.
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Portion off items of dough in regards to the measurement of a tablespoon and roll into balls. If you’d like all of your cookies to be uniform in measurement you’ll be able to weigh the dough sections during which case they are going to be about 21 grams every.
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Roll every ball within the sugar completely coating it, then place them on the ready cookie sheets leaving some area in-between.
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Bake for 12 minutes or till the sides of the cookies are a pale golden shade. Take away from the oven and instantly make an indent within the high of every cookie. You need to use your thumb to do that or the top of a picket spoon.
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Fill every cookie with lemon curd then switch to a wire rack to complete cooling.
Diet
Steadily Requested Questions
- Can I freeze the cookies? Sure, you’ll be able to freeze them after baking (with out the curd) and fill them after thawing.
- Can I take advantage of a distinct filling? Strive jam, lime curd, and even chocolate ganache. I like filling these cookies with varied fruit jams or preserves like raspberry, strawberry, apricot, or blueberry – all of them pair properly with the buttery cookie base. Nutella or different chocolate spreads are additionally a fantastic choice. You can too strive dulce de leche or caramel.
- How do I forestall cracks when making the thumbprint? Press gently and make the indent proper after baking whereas the cookies are nonetheless mushy.
- Why use each powdered and granulated sugar? Powdered sugar creates a young texture, whereas granulated sugar provides construction and a crisp coating.
- Can I make them forward? Sure—chill the dough in a single day or bake the cookies a day or two prematurely and retailer in an hermetic container. Fill them with lemon curd instantly earlier than serving for greatest outcomes.
