In this Lemon Shortbread Cookie recipe, I use fresh lemon juice and zest in the cookie dough and the lemon glaze. Each bite has that natural citrus taste I crave.

These cookies are easy to make and perfect for spring or summer. Really, they’re good for any occasion when you want something light and refreshing.

Serve them plain, as sandwich cookies, or cut into fun shapes. However you do it, these lemon cookies always catch people’s attention. The shortbread just melts in your mouth combines perfectly with the tangy lemon icing.

How do you make melt-in-your-mouth lemon shortbread cookies?

I start by creaming softened unsalted butter. That’s what makes the cookies tender.

Then mix in sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice for flavor and moisture. Add the flour slowly and only mix until it’s combined, so the cookies don’t get tough.

Chill the dough a bit so it’s easy to roll out, then bake the cookies just until the edges are slightly golden. Always let them cool before glazing. That’s the secret to keeping them soft and crumbly.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter ½ cup
Sugar ½ cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Lemon zest Zest of 1 lemon
Salt ¼ tsp
Egg yolk 1 large
All-purpose flour 1 ¼ cup