Lemon Curd Cookies

These Lemon Curd Cookies are soft, chewy lemon cookies topped with homemade lemon curd! The mix of textures and the sweet-tart lemon flavor will make these a new favorite!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cookies

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 30

Servings cookies

Calories 181kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

Microplane Grater
Baking Sheets
Nonstick Parchment
Cookie Scoop (large; 3 tablespoon volume)
Offset Spatula

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

3 eggs, beaten
pinch salt
½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon zest (from 3-4 lemons)
½ cup lemon juice
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and softened

Lemon Cookies

1 ¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon oil (see notes)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For Lemon Curd

Beat eggs with salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips to release the oils from the zest. Add lemon juice and stir to combine.
Pour egg mixture into the saucepan with the sugar mixture. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until the curd thickens, 5-10 minutes. If you have a thermometer, this will be around 170° F. You will know the curd it thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon, and when you drag a finger over the back of the spoon, you will leave a defined line in the curd.
To ensure that it's smooth, immediately pour the thickened curd through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Add the butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
Cover the curd with plastic, pressing the wrap directly to the top of the curd to avoid it forming a skin. Place the curd in the refrigerator and chill at least 30 minutes. (Hint: the shallower the bowl, the more quickly the curd will chill.)

For Lemon Cookies

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) in a small bowl. Set aside.
Place the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixer run on low speed for a few minutes to help release the oils from the zest.
Add the butter to the sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add egg, lemon juice, and lemon oil (see note) and mix to combine.
With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
With a large cookie scoop (see note), scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Press down on each scoop lightly with the heel of your hand or a measuring cup to flatten slightly (this keeps the cookies a bit flatter, giving you a better surface for the lemon curd after baking).
Bake cookies until just barely golden on the bottoms, 10-12 minutes. I turn the baking sheets around in the oven after 5 minutes to help promote even baking. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once ready to serve, top each of the cookies with about a tablespoon of lemon curd. Or just dip them in the bowl of curd. No judgement here. :)
The curd will keep in a covered jar in your refrigerator for up to four weeks. For longer storage, freeze the curd in a freezer-safe container for up to one year. To thaw, simply place the curd in your refrigerator for about 24 hours before you need to use it.
The plain cookies (without lemon curd) will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. They'll stay soft and moist for longer if you place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies (white bread works best for this so it doesn't lend any flavor to the cookies)! For longer storage, the plain cookies will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
Once the cookies are topped with the lemon curd, they should be eaten right away, as the lemon curd will make the cookies soggy over time.
Enjoy!

Notes

Note on parchment: I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.

Note on lemon oil: I love using lemon oil to heighten the lemon flavor in the cookies. I've found that the oil has more concentrated flavor than lemon extract. If you'd prefer not to buy lemon oil, you can use lemon extract or just add a bit more zest to your dough.

Note on cookie scoop: I used a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons in volume) to portion out my cookies so they’re all uniform in size (and my hands stay a lot cleaner).

Nutrition