These lemon curd cookies are made with a soft, buttery shortbread thumbprint cookie filled with homemade lemon curd.
These lemon curd cookies are made with a soft, buttery shortbread thumbprint base that melts in your mouth.
Each cookie is filled with a bright, smooth homemade lemon curd that brings a fresh, tangy flavor to every bite.
The mix of the rich shortbread and the creamy lemon center makes them taste light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced.
They look beautiful on any dessert table and feel elegant yet simple to make. These cookies are also perfect for Christmas, adding a sweet, sunny twist to all the classic holiday treats.
For more lemon desserts, check out my lemon shortbread cookies, lemon meringue cookies, lemon tart, and lemon curd cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Super soft and buttery- The shortbread base has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that feels rich and comforting. It stays tender for days and tastes even better the next day.
- Bright lemon flavor- The homemade lemon curd adds a fresh, tangy pop that balances the sweetness perfectly. It gives each cookie a burst of sunshine in every bite.
- Bright lemon flavor- The homemade lemon curd gives the cookies a fresh, tangy lemon taste that stands out beautifully. Every bite has that sunny citrus pop.
- Easy recipe- The dough comes together quickly with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store.
- Make-ahead friendly- You can store or freeze the cookies, and the lemon curd can be made in advance. This makes the recipe convenient for busy days or holiday baking.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Flour- I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. It gives the cookies a soft yet stable texture. Cake flour works too for an even more tender cookie. If using self-rising flour, skip the baking powder.
Baking powder- Adds a light lift so the cookies stay soft and don’t turn dense.
Kosher salt- Balances the sweetness and brings out all the flavors. If using table salt, use slightly less.
Lemon zest- Adds fresh, bright lemon flavor to the dough. Always zest fresh lemons for the best taste.
Butter- Softened, unsalted butter creates a rich, buttery cookie that melts in your mouth. Don’t use cold butter.
Powdered sugar- Sweetens the dough and keeps the texture soft and delicate instead of grainy.
Vanilla extract- Adds warmth and depth that pairs perfectly with the lemon. Use vanilla extract or vanilla bean extract.
Egg- Binds the dough and helps the cookies bake evenly. Use a large egg at room temperature.
For the lemon curd filling
Fresh lemon juice- Gives the curd its bright, tangy flavor. Freshly squeezed is key—bottled lemon juice won’t taste as vibrant.
Lemon zest– Boosts the lemon flavor and adds natural citrus oils to the curd.
Granulated sugar– Sweetens the curd and helps it set while cooking.
Butter– Makes the curd smooth, silky, and rich. It also helps it firm up as it cools.
Kosher salt– Balances the tartness and enhances the lemon flavor.
Egg + egg yolks– The combination thickens the curd and gives it a creamy, smooth texture. Using extra yolks makes it richer and more stable.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 180°C (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, lemon zest, powdered sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Cream the mixture with an electric hand mixer until it’s light, creamy, and smooth.
Add the egg and mix until fully combined.
Add the flour and baking powder, and fold with a spatula just until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Overnight is great too, but not required.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough using a small cookie scoop, roll into balls, and place on a lined baking sheet.
Use your thumb or a teaspoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie.
Use your thumb or a teaspoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Don’t overbake, this keeps the cookies soft.
Right when you take them out of the oven, gently reshape the indents if needed using your thumb or a spoon.
Make the lemon curd
Place all the lemon curd ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.
Once the butter melts, the mixture will look thin. Keep the heat low and continue whisking until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
When thickened, pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps. This makes it perfectly smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it cool for 20–30 minutes.
Dust the cookies with powdered sugar, then spoon about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd into each indent. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Constantly whisk while making the curd! It is really important if you want to get a smooth and silky curd.
- Use room-temperature butter. Softened butter creams better and gives the cookies their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Mix only until combined. Overmixing the dough can make the cookies dense. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
- Make deep indents. Press firmly with your thumb or a teaspoon. If the indent is too shallow, the curd will sit on top instead of inside the cookie.
- Fix the indents after baking. The cookies puff in the oven, so reshape the centers while they're hot for a clean, bakery-style look.
- Cook the curd slowly. Keep the heat low and whisk constantly to prevent curdling and keep the curd silky smooth.
- Always use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice and zest give the curd a bright, clean flavor that bottled juice can’t match.
- Strain for a perfect texture. Pouring the curd through a fine strainer removes any lumps and makes the filling glossy and smooth.
- Cool completely before filling. If the cookies or curd are warm, the curd can melt or slide off. Let everything cool fully before assembly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
Faq's
Yes, you can put lemon curd in cookies. It’s delicious in thumbprint cookies because the soft, buttery dough holds the creamy lemon filling perfectly.
The most common mistake with lemon curd is cooking it on high heat, which can cause it to curdle or turn lumpy.
You want to cook it slowly and whisk constantly so it stays smooth and creamy. Using cold butter or not straining the curd can also affect the texture.
You can bake so many treats with lemon curd. It’s great for thumbprint cookies, cake layers, tarts, cupcakes, and cheesecake swirls. Lemon curd adds a bright, tangy flavor that makes any dessert taste fresh and special.
The purpose of lemon curd is to add a bright, tangy, and creamy flavor to desserts. It’s used as a filling for cookies, cakes, tarts, and pastries, or as a spread on scones and toast.
Its smooth texture and fresh lemon taste make any treat feel lighter and more flavorful.
Storing
You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing
To freeze these cookies, place them in a single layer on a tray and freeze until firm. Then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment between the layers.
Freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them in the fridge so the lemon curd stays smooth and the cookies keep their shape.
Substitutions
Dairy-free - If you are dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan butter or plant-based butter.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Store-bought lemon curd- to make this recipe quicker and easier, you can use store-bought lemon curd to fill the cookies.
Variations
White chocolate- add ¼ cup of mini white chocolate chips to the cookie dough for a delicious white chocolate flavor.
Lemon raspberry– add ½ teaspoon raspberry jam under the lemon curd in each thumbprint for a sweet-tangy mix.
Citrus- swap the lemon zest with orange zest or lime zest for a different citrus twist. You can also mix half lemon and half orange zest for a sweeter flavor.
Filling– instead of lemon curd, fill the cookies with raspberry jam, blueberry jam, or orange curd. Use about ½ teaspoon of filling per cookie.
White chocolate drizzle- melt ¼ cup white chocolate, then drizzle it over the cooled cookies for a sweet, creamy finish that pairs perfectly with the lemon flavor.
Pistachio lemon – fold 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios into the dough for a crunch and a pistachio flavor.
Lemon poppy seed – add 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds to the dough for classic flavor and texture.
Glaze- make a simple lemon glaze and glaze these cookies instead of coating them with powdered sugar.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Teaspoons or thumb for making the indent
- Cooling rack
- Small saucepan (if making homemade lemon curd)
More cookies recipes
Apple Pie Cookies- These delicious apple pie cookies are made with a soft cinnamon cookie and filled with homemade apple pie filling and caramel sauce.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies- These lemon crinkle cookies have a crispy exterior, are chewy and soft, and are loaded with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice.
Carrot Cake Cookies- These carrot cake cookies are made with a soft and chewy carrot cookie base and topped with a cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.
If you tried this cookies lemon curd recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Lemon Curd Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup Flour AP, plain
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 12 tablespoon Butter softened, unsalted
- 1 cup Powder sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 Egg large
Lemon curd
- ⅓ cup Lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon Butter
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Egg large
- 3 Egg yolks large
Instructions
Make the cookie dough
- Preheat an oven to 180°C (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, lemon zest, powdered sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Cream the mixture with an electric hand mixer until it’s light, creamy, and smooth.
- Add the egg and mix until fully combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder, and fold with a spatula just until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Overnight is great too, but not required.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough using a small cookie scoop, roll into balls, and place on a lined baking sheet.
- Use your thumb or a teaspoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Don’t overbake, this keeps the cookies soft.
- Right when you take them out of the oven, gently reshape the indents if needed using your thumb or a spoon.
Make the lemon curd
- Place all the lemon curd ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.
- Once the butter melts, the mixture will look thin. Keep the heat low and continue whisking until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
- When thickened, pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps. This makes it perfectly smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it cool for 20–30 minutes.
- Dust the cookies with powdered sugar, then spoon about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd into each indent. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Constantly whisk while making the curd! It is really important if you want to get a smooth and silky curd.
- Use room-temperature butter. Softened butter creams better and gives the cookies their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Mix only until combined. Overmixing the dough can make the cookies dense. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
- Make deep indents. Press firmly with your thumb or a teaspoon. If the indent is too shallow, the curd will sit on top instead of inside the cookie.
- Fix the indents after baking. The cookies puff in the oven, so reshape the centers while they're hot for a clean, bakery-style look.
- Cook the curd slowly. Keep the heat low and whisk constantly to prevent curdling and keep the curd silky smooth.
- Always use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice and zest give the curd a bright, clean flavor that bottled juice can’t match.
- Strain for a perfect texture. Pouring the curd through a fine strainer removes any lumps and makes the filling glossy and smooth.
- Cool completely before filling. If the cookies or curd are warm, the curd can melt or slide off. Let everything cool fully before assembly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
Mark
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.
Marta
I just made them. They are super delicious!!!! I love them
RichandDelish
I'm so glad you liked them! Thank you for your comment!