Best Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

Finding the perfect cookie recipe that’s both simple to make and guaranteed to impress can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Between juggling work deadlines, family commitments, and the endless stream of daily tasks, most of us don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen perfecting complicated desserts.

That’s why these lemon shortbread sandwich cookies have become my go-to recipe: they’re wonderfully buttery, refreshingly citrusy, and come together with just a handful of basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For shortbread cookies, the butter you choose plays a huge role in how your cookies turn out. You can use either salted or unsalted butter – just remember to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe accordingly. The most important thing is that your butter is genuinely softened to room temperature, which usually takes about 30-45 minutes on your counter. Quality matters here too – since butter is the main flavor carrier in shortbread, try to use a good European-style butter if you can find it, as it typically has a higher fat content that creates an extra-rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Just avoid using margarine or butter substitutes, as they’ll give you a completely different result that won’t have that classic shortbread snap.

Options for Substitutions

Let me share some helpful substitutions for these lovely lemon cookies, though keep in mind that shortbread has some ingredients that are pretty important for that classic texture:

• Butter: For the cookie dough, butter is really key for that classic shortbread texture – margarine won’t give you the same results. However, for the filling, you could use cream cheese instead of butter for a tangy twist.
• Cornstarch: You can replace cornstarch with rice flour or potato starch to get that same melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you use all regular flour instead, the cookies will be more firm and less tender.
• Vanilla essence: Feel free to use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even almond extract for a different flavor profile.
• Lemon zest and juice: Orange or lime work great here too! Just swap in equal amounts. If you don’t have fresh citrus, you can use 1-2 teaspoons of lemon extract, though you’ll miss out on some of that fresh flavor.
• Icing sugar: Also known as powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar – they’re all the same thing. Don’t try to substitute with regular sugar as it will make the texture grainy.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making shortbread cookies is overworking the dough – mixing too much will develop the gluten and make your cookies tough instead of that melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re after, so mix just until the ingredients come together. Temperature control is crucial too – if your butter is too warm, the cookies will spread during baking, and if it’s too cold, the dough will be difficult to work with, so aim for butter that’s soft enough to leave an indent when pressed but not so soft that it’s greasy. When rolling out the dough, keeping a consistent thickness (about 1/4 inch) is essential for even baking – uneven thickness means some cookies will burn while others remain underbaked. For the lemon filling, make sure to add the lemon juice gradually while mixing – adding too much at once can cause the buttercream to separate and become grainy, but you can rescue a broken filling by beating in a little more powdered sugar.

What to Serve With Lemon Shortbread Cookies?

These buttery lemon cookies are perfect for afternoon tea or coffee time! A hot cup of Earl Grey tea makes an especially nice pairing since its bergamot notes complement the citrusy cookies beautifully. For coffee lovers, try serving these with a smooth latte or cappuccino – the creamy coffee balances out the bright lemon flavor. If you’re hosting a spring or summer gathering, these cookies are lovely alongside some fresh berries and a glass of sparkling lemonade or prosecco for the grown-ups.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These lemon shortbread sandwich cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together. If your kitchen is warm, you might want to keep them in the fridge to prevent the lemon filling from getting too soft.

Freeze: Want to make these ahead? You can freeze the assembled cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. For best results, layer them between pieces of parchment paper. You can also freeze the unfilled cookies and make the filling fresh when you’re ready to serve.

Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling and cutting. The lemon filling can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge – just give it a quick stir before using.

Preparation Time	30-60 minutes
Cooking Time	20-30 minutes
Total Time	50-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1600-1800
• Protein: 10-15 g
• Fat: 120-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup sifted cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• zest from 1 large lemon (for bright citrus flavor)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup softened butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the lemon frosting:

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed for best taste)
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

Add sea salt and powdered sugar, then beat for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and lemon zest, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix on low speed just until everything is incorporated.

Step 2: Mix in Dry Ingredients

Sift the all-purpose flour and cornstarch into the bowl with the creamed mixture.

Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just combined.

Divide the dough into 2-3 sections.

For each section, place it on a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into your desired shape, such as square or round.

Wrap each section in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes, or longer if needed, until the dough is firm.

Step 3: Slice and Bake the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Once the dough is firm, remove it from the refrigerator and slice into generous 1/8 inch slices, similar to a pat of butter.

Arrange them on the cookie sheet close together since they won’t spread much.

Bake the cookies at 300°F for about 20 minutes, or until they are very lightly golden around the edges.

Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them carefully to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Prepare the Lemon Frosting

In a clean bowl, cream butter until it is light and fluffy, for about 2-3 minutes.

Add powdered sugar and lemon zest, and continue to cream the mixture for an additional 2 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.

Gradually add lemon juice, mixing until you achieve your desired tartness and consistency for the frosting.

Step 5: Assemble the Sandwich Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled completely, spoon a scant teaspoon of lemon frosting onto one cookie slice, then place a matching cookie on top to create a sandwich.

Continue this process with the remaining cookies.

Store the sandwich cookies in an airtight container or freeze them until ready to eat.

If desired, dust with a little powdered sugar before serving.