The Best Lemon Shortbread

Shortbread is a glorious mix of butter, sugar, and flour that creates a melt-in-your-mouth cookie. I added lemon and it became even better, with a nice zing cutting through that buttery amazingness. The dough can be refrigerated for a day before baking and the baked shortbread keeps very well. A great holiday idea!

I love shortbread. It's so easy to make and so difficult to screw up!

This recipe is a twist on the traditional one, and a cousin of the fabulous lemon shortbread cookies that we love so much.

Adding citrus zest really makes it stand out. There is a nice acidity that cuts through all that butter and sugar in the best way. Because we can certainly agree that shortbread is a rich cookie.

About this recipe

• Easy to make: the dough is patted onto the pan, so it's easier to make than shortbread cookies that have to be cut and glazed individually.
• Make ahead: you can make the dough a day ahead, pat it in the pan, cover it and refrigerate it until ready to bake. After it's baked, it keeps well in an airtight container, a tin preferably.
• Serving it: it can be used to accompany ice cream, to serve with after-dinner coffee, or simply as part of a dessert table with other more sophisticated recipes.

How to get great lemon flavor

The amount of butter and sugar in shortbread makes it challenging to get enough lemon flavor so that it stands out.

• Fresh lemons: I love to use lemon zest, a lot of it, and occasionally add a teaspoon of lemon juice. The latter can slightly change the texture as it's a liquid, so don't add too much.
• Lemon sugar: you can work the lemon zest into the sugar at the beginning, before adding it to the butter. The peel will start to release its natural oils and impregnate the sugar. This adds an extra punch of flavor.
• Lemon extract or emulsion: using it can quickly and easily enhance the lemon flavor. I use pure ones like Nielsen Massey pure lemon extract or Mc Cormick culinary pure lemon extract. There are artificially flavored ones that you can use if you know are good, like Frontier lemon flavor.
• Paste and emulsion: these are thicker than extracts and concentrate a lot of flavor. I love and regularly use vanilla paste but have never tried a citrus alternative. But I heard good things from both Nielsen Massey Pure lemon paste and LorAnn lemon emulsion.

How to make shortbread

These will apply to most shortbread recipes, but let's get into the details for this lemon version.

1. Cream butter. It must be at room temperature (soft but not greasy or beginning to melt) and you should be able to mix everything with a spatula.
2. Add lemon zest (also called lemon peel). I grate it directly over the butter mixture using a Microplane zester (image 1).
3. Add powdered sugar and mix well (image 2). Sift it first so it's easier to incorporate.
4. Flour mixture. It includes flour and salt. Add it in 2 batches for easier mixing. You might feel it's too much flour and that it will never combine well (image 3), but it will.
5. Final dough: trust the process and keep on scraping the ingredients together with the spatula until you have a dough with a smooth and soft texture (image 4).

Filling the pan

The best way to fill the pan is to transfer the dough from the bowl to the pan in pieces, little mounds distributed through the bottom.

That way when you spread it will be evener. If you dump it all in the middle and start to pat it (with your fingers) it will be harder to distribute it as evenly as possible.

Crunchy topping

Shortbread will get a crisp top if it's golden enough.

In this version, we aid that step by adding a tablespoon or two of sugar before baking. It will stay there (not seep into the dough) and will add a nice crunch.

This is optional but highly recommended. You can use brown sugar for a more caramel crunch.

When is shortbread fully baked?

This is a great question as it usually has people going for the barely colored shortbread, or the golden finish.

just like cookies, it depends on personal taste. Do you like softer, lighter cookies, or go for the crisper more golden ones?

I alternate between both but tend to like a crispier, golden-colored shortbread (image below).

Cutting (scoring) the shortbread

This part is essential that you do it while the shortbread is still hot. That is, about ten minutes after you take it out of the oven.

Using a smooth-bladed knife, cut strips lengthwise and then do the same to the other side, creating a criss-cross pattern (image below).

Alternatively, cut squares or triangles (cutting said squares in half diagonally).

Shortbread is very rich so smaller pieces are usually better.

Frequently asked questions

Holiday ideas with this recipe

It all comes down to different flavorings and toppings. Make a large batch, double (or triple?) this recipe.

Kitchen notes

• Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
• Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
• Is the resting period needed? You can bake it directly, but the refrigeration time makes for a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. I think it's worth the wait, but you should adjust recipes to your own timeline and palate.
• Storing: it keeps really well for a week or more after you cut it. So it's great for gift giving. Always use an airtight container, ideally a metal one or a jar.