This lemon sandwich cookie recipe combines two of my favorite treats: my homemade tangy lemon curd and my soft, tender lemon shortbread cookies. I’ve paired these together to create the ultimate lemon cookie for lemon lovers. These bright lemon-curd-filled cookies are perfect for a party, a baby shower, or a bridal shower. Don’t they look almost too pretty to eat? That extra sprinkle of powdered sugar on top gives them an extra special touch.
Why You Should Make These Cookies
Rich lemon flavor: These cookies are not shy on the lemon! I would say they’re a 12/10 on the lemon scale, so only make these if you LOVE lemons. My readers have repeatedly said how much they love the lemon flavor in my lemon shortbread:
- “These delicious cookies are so easy to make and have the perfect amount of lemon!”
- “I've made them so many times recently it's like Lemon heaven in my kitchen.”
- “Outstanding! I’m an avid baker and this recipe was perfect. My family loved the tart lemon flavor—it will become a holiday tradition!”
Tender, soft cookie: My shortbread is tender and soft, so when you bite into this sandwich cookie, you don’t get the lemon curd squishing out the sides. The two textures combine to make the perfect bite. Plus, my shortbread is excellent at keeping its shape, so you can use cookie cutters to make some fun sandwich cookie designs. I chose a delicate scalloped pattern which works nicely.
Easy to prep ahead: You can easily prepare the lemon curd and lemon shortbread cookies ahead of time, making this treat perfect for special occasions or parties. Store the curd in the refrigerator and the cookies in an airtight container and assemble them when ready.
For a twist on this recipe try the lemon shortbread cookies substitute the lemon curd filling with my raspberry curd or blueberry curd.
Lemon Sandwich Cookies Ingredients
Use this lemon curd recipe for the filling. This curd is creamy and smooth with the right balance of tart and sweet. Always use fresh lemon juice for the best results. My Meyer lemon curd is another great option for this sandwich cookie.
Lemon Shortbread Cookie Dough
- Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar produces nice crisp edges and helps with the light browning on the bottom edge of the cookie.
- Fresh Lemon Zest: Just like in the curd, the oils in the lemon zest give a strong burst of lemon flavor you taste when you bite into these cookies.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: The lemon juice boosts the lemon flavor in this shortbread cookie.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter adds flavor and produces a nice tender cookie. You can use salted butter, but skip the salt the recipe calls for. Also, make sure to pick a good-quality butter that tastes great. Use room temperature butter to ensure the dough comes together.
- Egg Yolk: The egg yolk adds tenderness to the cookie, making them nice and soft.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make These Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies
Make the lemon curd filling first since it will need 2-3 hours to chill before assembling the cookies. The full recipe is in the recipe card below, but you can see the process photos in my homemade lemon curd recipe here.
Make the Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Follow the process photos steps in my lemon shortbread cookie recipe to make the cookie dough. Once the cookie dough is done follow these directions to make the top and bottom of the lemon sandwich cookies.
Step 1: Once the cookie dough is ready, place it on a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a rectangle with your hands and lightly flour the top to prevent sticking while rolling.
Step 2: Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Step 3: Use a 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut the center out of half the cookies.
Step 4: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape when baking.
Step 5: Bake the whole cookies and the cookies with the cutout center separately. They have different baking times. The whole cookies bake for 20-22 minutes, and the cookies with the cut-out center bake for 18-20 minutes.
Step 6: Take the cookies out of the oven and cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 7: The unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days, but they taste best if eaten within the first 5 days.
Assemble the Sandwich Cookies
Step 8: Take the lemon curd out of the fridge and stir it to loosen it up. Lay out your cookies– Pair a bottom cookie with a top cookie for ease.
Step 9: If you want to sprinkle the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar, make sure to turn the top cookies so they’re right side up. Place the powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer and shake it gently over the cookies.
Step 10: Place a dollop of lemon curd in the center of the bottom whole cookie, then lightly press the top cookie onto the curd until it spreads to the edges and up through the opening. Take care to press gently to minimize spillage.
Can These Lemon Sandwich Cookies Be Frozen?
Yes, these lemon sandwich cookies can be frozen, but for the best results, you should freeze the cookies and lemon curd separately. I have frozen lemon curd and it tastes great once thawed. But I also have to stir to get that creamy consistency.
To freeze the cookies and curd for later store the baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and the lemon curd in a sealed container. When ready to serve, thaw both the curd and the cookies in the refrigerator, then assemble and enjoy. The cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months and the curd can be frozen for up to a year.
Tips for Successful Baking
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs for the best results for the lemon shortbread cookies.
- Fresh lemon juice yields better flavor than bottled.
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lemons. Zest the lemons directly into the sugar for the best flavor.
- For cleaner cuts, dip cookie cutters in flour between uses
More Light, Lemony Recipes To Try
If you haven’t guessed yet, I love creating recipes with lemon! Here are some of my all-time favorites.
- Meyer Lemon Tart
- Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes With Lemon Curd Filling
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Lemon Poppyseed Cookies
Also, if you love all things citrus, I have a whole citrus section on my blog packed with recipe inspiration.
If you make citrusy cookies please leave a rating and a comment below.
Connect with me on Instagram and tag me @bakesbybrownsugar to share your recipe remake photos.
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Buttery Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Tangy Lemon Curd
Equipment
- Instant-read thermometer
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
Lemon Curd Filling
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 large (40 grams) egg yolks
- 1 large (50 grams) large egg
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- 4 ounces (113 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons lemon zest
- 8 ounces (227 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large (20 grams) egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 12 ounces (340 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
Cookie Topping
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Lemon Curd Filling
- Make the lemon curd filling first since it will need 2-3 hours to chill before assembling the cookies.
- Place a strainer over a medium-sized bowl near the stove.
- Place the sugar in a small bowl and zest the lemons onto the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the sugar and zest together. Juice the lemons until you have 6 tablespoons of juice.
- In a non-reactive 2 quart saucepan, combine the whole egg, egg yolks, and lemon-sugar and whisk until well blended. Stir in the lemon juice, butter, and salt. The butter will be in solid pieces.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture is thickened. As you cook the mixture the butter will melt. When the mixture has thickened and reached a temperature of 185°F pour it into the strainer. Press the curd through the strainer with a spatula to remove the solids.
- Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, gently pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd. Place the curd in the refrigerator and chill.
- The lemon curd is good in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and can be frozen for up to 1 year. If freezing the curd package it in a freezer container after it has chilled. When ready to use place it in the refrigerator to thaw for 24 hours before intended use.
Make the Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Place the sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Zest the lemons directly onto the sugar, until there is about three (3) teaspoons of zest.
- Add the butter and salt to the lemon sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment until the mixture is smooth and looks creamy about 2 minutes.
- Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, mix in the egg yolk, then mix in the lemon juice. Scrape the bottom of the bowl. Add all the flour at once, then mix it in on low speed until all the flour is well incorporated. The dough will be crumbly at this point. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough has completely come together and formed large clumps of dough.
- Turn the cookie dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangle and lightly flour the top of the dough. Do not use too much flour, just enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking.
- Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet
- Count your total cookies. Take half of the cookies and prick the center of each cookie with the tines of a fork. Pricking the cookies will release the steam as they bake and ensure a flat cookies.
- For the remaining half, cut out the center with a 1/2-inch cookie cutter.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Chilling the dough will help the cookies hold their shape when baking.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a half baking sheet with parchment paper. If you have 2 baking sheets use both of them.
- Place 12 of the whole cookies on the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart, and bake for 20-22 minutes. Bake the cutout cookies separately for 18-20 minutes. The bottom of the cookies will be lightly golden brown.
- Take the cookies out of the oven and cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a wire rack to completely cool.
- The unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days, but they taste best if eaten within the first 5 days.
Assemble the Cookies
- Take the lemon curd out of the refrigerator and stir it to loosen it up. Lay out your cookies. Pair a bottom cookie with a top cookie.
- If you want to sprinkle the top of the cookies with powdered sugar, turn the top cookies right side up. Place the powdered sugar in a fine strainer and shake the powdered sugar over the cookies.
- Place about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd in the center of the bottom cookie, then lightly press the top cookie on top of the curd until it spreads to the edges and up through the opening.
Serving and Storing the Assembled Cookies
- If serving the assembled cookies immediately they can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours. If not serving the cookies immediately, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The longer the cookies sit, the softer they will become because of the lemon curd.
Darlene says
I made these cookies last year for Easter and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved the lemon flavor and they are so pretty on my Easter cookie plate. I’ll be making this recipe every year. It’s fairly easy and worth the effort for such a delicious and pretty cookie. The only thing I plan to change is the thickness of the cookie. I’m going to make them thinner this year since 1/4” was a little too thick when sandwiched together.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Darlene
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. I'm so glad the cookies were hit and that you plan to make them again. That just makes me happy!