Description
Zesty lemon thumbprint cookies offer a tangy twist on classic shortbread with bright citrus centers. Buttery, crumbly cookie bases cradle silky lemon curd, creating a delightful balance of sweet and tart flavors you’ll savor with each delicate bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 14 tablespoons (200g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
Coating, Filling, and Icing:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (140g) homemade lemon curd or store-bought
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Craft a velvety mixture by combining flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium mixing vessel, ensuring a uniform texture.
- Utilize an electric mixer to cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, incorporating vibrant lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, egg, and vanilla bean paste.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, creating a smooth, cohesive dough. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours to enhance flavor development.
- Prepare a shallow dish with granulated sugar for coating. Extract chilled dough and form delicate spheres, rolling each thoroughly in sugar.
- Arrange cookie balls on lined baking sheets, maintaining adequate spacing. Create a gentle indentation in the center of each using your thumb.
- Fill each thumbprint cavity with a dollop of lemon curd, ensuring precise and consistent placement.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake cookies until edges transform to a subtle golden hue, approximately 12-13 minutes.
- Allow cookies to rest momentarily on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Prepare a silky glaze by whisking confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice until smooth and glossy.
- Delicately drizzle the luminous icing over completely cooled cookies, permitting the glaze to set for half an hour before serving.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly for at least 3 hours to enhance flavor and prevent spreading during baking.
- Use cold dough directly from the refrigerator to maintain cookie shape and prevent excessive spreading.
- Create a perfect thumb indent by gently pressing the center of each cookie ball before filling with lemon curd.
- Bake cookies until edges are lightly golden, which ensures a soft center and crisp exterior.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before adding lemon icing to achieve a smooth, clean drizzle.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg