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–+ servings
Lemon meringue cookies on a wooden board.

Lemon Meringue Cookies

These zesty lemon meringue cookies are made with a soft lemon cookie filled with lemon curd and topped with toasted Swiss meringue.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chill time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15 cookies
Calories 385 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the lemon curd

  • ⅓ cup Lemon juice fresh
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon zest fresh
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 Egg yolks
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
  • 2.8 oz Butter

For the cookies

  • 1 cup Butter unsalted, room temperature
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Brown sugar light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 Egg large
  • 2 teaspoon Lemon zest
  • ⅓ teaspoon Baking powder
  • 2 ½ cups Flour

For the Swiss meringue

  • 100 g Egg whites
  • 90 g Granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt

Instructions
 

Make the lemon curd

  • Into a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the lemon juice, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, salt, and lemon zest, and mix with a whisk constantly.
  • Keep whisking until the mixture thickens for about 5-8 minutes. When the mixture thickens, add the butter and mix with a whisk until the butter is melted.
  • Transfer the mixture to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and strain the curd from any unnecessary lumps. This will give you a perfect and smooth filling.
  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for about 20-30 minutes at room temperature and then in the fridge while you bake the crust.

Make the cookies

  • Into a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, lemon zest, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
  • Add the egg and mix until well combined.
  • Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined. Don't overmix the cookie dough for moist cookies and not dry cookies.
  • Scoop cookie dough balls with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (on two separate baking sheets). Roll each cookie dough into a ball using your clean hands.
  • Use a tablespoon or a teaspoon to create indents in each cookie dough ball. Dip the tablespoon in flour to prevent the spoon from sticking to the cookie dough.
  • Bake the cookies in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Use a cup or a large biscuit cutter to swirl around the cookies while they are warm to create perfect circles.

Make the Swiss meringue

  • Start by combining egg whites, salt, and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler.
  • Whisk the mixture constantly while heating until it reaches 160°F (71°C) or feels smooth and not grainy when rubbed between your fingers.
  • Once the desired temperature is reached, remove the bowl from heat and transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
  • Beat on high speed for about 5-7 minutes, or until stiff, glossy peaks form and the meringue has cooled to room temperature.

Assembly

  • Transfer the lemon curd into a piping bag and cut a small slit. Pipe 1-2 teaspoon of lemon curd into the center of each one. Pipe the meringue onto the tops of the cookies, then toast with a kitchen torch.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
  • Don’t overmix the cookie dough, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
  • Use fresh lemon juice and zest. This gives the cookies and curd a bright, natural lemon flavor that really shines.
  • Don't let the lemon curd come to a boil! This will cook the eggs and leave you with scrambled eggs. Make sure that the lemon curd mixture cooks over medium-low heat.
  • Use a cookie scoop. It helps make all the cookies the same size and shape for even baking.
  • Make them round. Right after baking, use a round cookie cutter or a spoon to gently nudge the edges into perfect circles while they’re still warm.
  • Underbake slightly. Take the cookies out when the edges are just set and the centers still look a little soft. they’ll finish baking as they cool and stay super tender.
  • Make sure your bowl is grease-free. Even a little fat can stop meringue from whipping. Avoid egg yolks in the whites, and for extra insurance, wipe your bowl with a bit of lemon juice before whipping.
  • Create a deep well. Use the back of a spoon which has been dipped in flour to prevent sticking to make a deep indentation in each cookie to hold plenty of filling.
  • 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 a 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 brown butter chocolate chunk cookies release easily from the pan.
  • Cool completely before filling. Adding lemon curd to warm cookies can make them soggy or cause the curd to spread too much.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 595IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Lemon Meringue Cookies
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