These lemon thumbprint cookies are sure to brighten your day with their burst of fresh lemony flavor. The cookies combine melt in your mouth shortbread cookies topped with lemon curd, and a vanilla icing drizzle for the perfect sweet and tangy cookie combo! So good any time of the year.
These lemon curd cookies are one of my absolute favorites. They are a lemon lovers’ dream and such a nice burst of citrus flavor to enjoy on a spring day, or to brighten up a dreary winter day.
They’d be so fun on a holiday cookie tray, or at a cookie exchange party. Especially if you want a cookie everyone will love, and not the same one everyone else will make, ahem pecan snowball cookies. You might also love these raspberry thumbprint cookies, if you’re not in the mood for lemon.
The Best Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
- Refreshing Flavor: The lemon curd centers are such a bright, citrusy, flavor in every bite.
- Perfect for all Occasions: These are great for an afternoon snack, tea party, holiday dessert table – you name it!
- So Quick and Easy: These cookies are surprisingly easy to make with a 5 simple ingredient shortbread cookie base.
- Melt in your Mouth Texture: These cookies are so buttery, and with the lemon curd filling, they practically melt in your mouth!
Ingredients Needed:
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Lemon Thumbprint Cookie Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- unsalted butter – this adds a nice buttery flavor to the cookie base, do not substitute shortening or margarine
- granulated sugar – to sweeten the cookies
- vanilla extract – adds a nice flavor to the cookie base
- all purpose flour – this is the structure of the cookie
- salt – to balance the flavors
- lemon curd – you can make a batch at home, or grab a jar from the store
- powdered sugar – adds sweetness to the icing glaze
- heavy cream – to thin out the glaze
How to make Lemon Curd Cookies
- Beat together the butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat them together for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl down as needed. Add in the vanilla extract and stir it into the mixture.
- Add in the flour and salt and mix them into the dough at low speed until just combined and you have a nice soft dough. Work the last bit together with your hands if needed, and they won’t mix with your mixer.
- Shape the cookies. Scoop the dough into 1 TBS portions and roll them into a ball. Place them onto two parchment paper lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Gently indent the center of each cookie with your thumb, or the bottom of a round half teaspoon measuring spoon. Cover the pans and place them in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Add the lemon curd. Carefully spoon the lemon curd into the cookies. You can also add the lemon curd into a ziplock bag, snip the end off and squeeze it into the indentation that way.
- Bake the cookies. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are just turning golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add the icing to a plastic bag and snip the end and drizzle over the top of the cookies. Let them sit until the glaze is set.
Tips and Tricks:
- You must chill the dough. This will enhance the flavor of the cookies, but also keep them from spreading too much while baking. Keep one tray of cookies in the fridge while the other bakes, so they stay chilled until ready.
- Avoid Overfilling the cookies. Too much lemon curd will spill and make messy cookies and a messy tray while baking. Fill just to the top of your indentation.
- Experiment with different fillings: such as raspberry jam, blueberry compote, or apricot preserves, etc.
Storage Instructions
After adding the icing let it set for about 1 hour, then you can stack the cookies as needed. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze the cookies in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature for a couple of hours before enjoying.
Lemon Curd Cookie FAQs:
Is lemon curd the same as lemon jam?
Fruit curds are different from jams because they are made by cooking down the fruit juice and mixing it with egg yolks, and sugar to thicken, and make a flavorful spread. Jam is usually the whole fruit cooked down and mixed with sugars, or sometimes pectin to thicken.
Because curds have egg yolks, and often butter they are richer and creamier than jams.
Why Are My Cookies Spreading Too Much?
If your cookies are spreading too much you either need a little more flour, or a colder dough. Try chilling your dough a little longer before baking, or try adding 1 to 2 extra Tablespoons of flour to the dough.
Why is my dough crumbly?
Alternatively, some people have said their dough is too crumbly. Make sure to weigh out the flour, or use the spoon and level method to scoop the flour to make sure you are not getting too much. The dough will be a bit crumbly, but should be able to come together when worked together with your hands, if needed.
These irresistible lemon and butter cookies are so good, perfect paired with a cup of tea. They’re such a fun option to brighten a day, even in the winter time!
More Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Cookie Bars
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies // Lil Luna
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies // Lifestyle of a Foodie
Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour **
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 TBS heavy cream
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cookie Dough:
- Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat them together for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl down as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- Add the vanilla extract and mix it into the dough until combined.1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour and salt to the dough and mix it together just until combined. Mix with your hands if needed to mix in the last bits of the flour.2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt
- Scoop the cookie dough into 1 TBS sized portions and roll them into balls.
- Place the cookie dough balls onto a lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
- Indent the center of the cookies with your finger, or use the bottom of a round 1/2 tsp measuring spoon to press into the cookie.
- Place the pans in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- Fill the cookies carefully with lemon curd, just to the top of the cookie. Place the pan back in the fridge for 10 minutes.1/2 cup lemon curd
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned, and the tops are no longer shiny.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
- Add the glaze ingredients to a small bowl and whisk them together.1 cup powdered sugar, 4 TBS heavy cream, 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- Transfer the glaze into a small ziplock bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cookies, as desired.
Leave a Reply