Lemon shortbread cookies are a lemony twist on a classic shortbread cookie recipe complete with a simple lemon glaze. They're a great addition to any holiday dessert tray any time of year!
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and beat on medium speed with electric mixer with a paddle attachment for about 5 minutes until fluffy.
1 cup unsalted butter
In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 lemon
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and beat on medium speed until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
Place the the dough on a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper and shape it into a square. Wrap the paper around the dough and refrigerate for 2 or more hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about ¼ to ½ inch thick.
Using a round cookie cutter, cut the cookies and place them onto the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 11 - 14 minutes and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet completely.
If icing, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and flip the cookies over so the bottoms are facing up.
In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and powdered sugar and whisk together.
1 cup powdered sugar, Juice of one lemon, Yellow food coloring
Spoon the icing over each cookie and spread it to the edges with the spoon.
Allow the icing to set completely
Notes
1. Add a splash of vanilla or vanilla bean paste to enhance the flavors.2. If you prefer an even softer cookie, adding egg yolks to the batter can increase the softness in the dough.3. Top with festive sprinkles before the icing sets. Yellow or pastel for Easter, green and red for Christmas, etc.4. Omit the icing on top and dip them in melted chocolate for a chocolaty lemon flavor.5. Add some chopped nuts to the batter for extra crunch.6. For extra lemon flavor, drop some lemon extract into the dough mixture.7. Sprinkle the glaze with a little coarse granulated sugar.8. Add some white chocolate chips to the batter.