Perfect Heart-Shaped Lemon Shortbread Cookies
These heart-shaped lemon shortbread cookies feature a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a bright citrus zing from fresh lemon zest and a light lemon glaze. Perfect for gift boxes and special occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- Zest of 2 medium lemons
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (plus extra for glaze)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- Pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add lemon zest and vanilla: Mix in the finely grated zest of 2 lemons and vanilla extract. Beat until combined and fragrant.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. If dough feels too crumbly, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.
- Chill the dough: Turn the dough onto plastic wrap, shape into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness. Use a 2.5-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes, re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Bake: Place cookies about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on baking sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until edges just begin to turn golden. Avoid overbaking.
- Cool: Remove from oven and transfer cookies to cooling racks immediately.
- Prepare lemon glaze: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice until smooth and slightly runny. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Glaze cookies: Once cookies are cool, dip tops or drizzle glaze over each. Let glaze set for at least 30 minutes before packaging.
Notes
Chilling the dough for at least 1 hour is essential to maintain the heart shapes and prevent spreading. Use fresh lemon zest for the best flavor. Watch cookies closely after 14 minutes to avoid overbaking. If dough is sticky while rolling, chill an extra 15 minutes. Glaze consistency should be smooth and pourable but not too runny.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (about 2.5
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 40
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4.5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 0.3
- Protein: 1
Keywords: lemon shortbread cookies, heart-shaped cookies, lemon glaze, gift box cookies, buttery cookies, lemon zest cookies, easy cookie recipe