Lemon Curd Cookies

by Danielle Rye on August 7, 2024 2 comments »

These lemon curd cookies feature buttery shortbread cookies filled with creamy lemon curd. There’s plenty of bright lemon flavor in these cookies, making them perfect for spring and summer!

A stack of four lemon curd thumbprints. The top cookie has a bite missing.

If you’ve never tried using lemon curd as a filling for cookies, you’re in for a real treat today!

These lemon curd cookies are a fun twist on my classic thumbprint cookies. It’s the same soft shortbread dough, but infused with lemon zest and lemon extract to deliver a distinct — but not overpowering — lemon flavor.

There’s also no dough chilling required for this recipe. All you have to do is mix the cookie dough together, scoop and roll it in sugar, then press down to create a little well for the lemon curd.

These cookies are a perfect make-ahead dessert for just about any occasion and they keep well for several days too.

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make lemon curd cookies.

Ingredient Notes

You’ll need just eight basic ingredients to prepare these cookies. A full list of ingredients is provided in the recipe card below, but let’s review the key items you’ll need.

Lemon Extract: Adds a little more lemon flavor to these cookies. If you don’t have any, you can omit it and add 1 to 2 extra teaspoons of lemon zest.
Lemon Curd: This is used as the filling for the cookies. If you want to make your own, I have a simple lemon curd recipe that’s made in the microwave. If you want to make this recipe a little bit easier though, feel free to use store-bought (Wilkin and Sons lemon curd is my personal favorite!).
Lemon Zest: Use a microplane to zest the lemons. You only want the yellow part of the zest, not the white part (which is called the pith and is very bitter).
Egg Yolks: Are added to keep the cookies soft and prevent them from being too crunchy. You can discard the egg whites or use them for breakfast the next morning.
Unsalted Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter because it allows you to control the amount of salt. If you only have salted butter on hand, just omit the salt. If you’re curious about salted vs. unsalted butter, I highly recommend reading through my post on the difference between the two.

An overhead view of creamed butter in a glass mixing bowl.

An overhead view of a creamed butter and sugar mixture in a glass mixing bowl.

How To Make Lemon Curd Cookies

In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), beat the butter until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and continue mixing until well combined.
Add the egg yolks, lemon extract, and salt and mix until fully combined. If needed, stop and scrape around the sides of your mixing bowl to make sure all of the wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

An overhead view of lemon cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.

An overhead view of lemon cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Add the flour and mix until just combined. The dough will seem a little bit crumbly at first, this is okay! Continue mixing on low speed until it comes together or use a rubber spatula to help work the dough together.
Scoop the cookie dough into tablespoon-sized balls, roll into a smooth ball, then roll in the granulated sugar.

An overhead view of unbaked lemon cookies filled with lemon curd.

An overhead view of baked lemon curd cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Gently press the center of the cookie dough balls to create an indentation. I like to use the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon for this step, but your thumb or even the handle of a wooden spoon works great too. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of lemon curd into the center of each one.
Bake until the cookies are set, then remove from the oven and let them cool completely.

A close-up overhead view of lemon curd filled lemon cookies.

Recipe Variations

These cookies are perfect as is, but there are a few ways you can customize them:

Use a different type of citrus curd or fruit jam – orange, lime, or even grapefruit would all be delicious.
Mix and match citrus zests instead of using all lemon zest
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of extra lemon zest for a stronger lemon flavor. These cookies are already pretty lemony, so I only recommend doing this if you’re a huge lemon lover.
Drizzle the cooled cookies with some lemon icing (the lemon icing from my lemon pound cake recipe would be perfect!)

An overhead view of a plate of lemon curd cookies.

Baking Tips

When you first add the flour, the cookie dough will look a little crumbly. This is normal! Keep mixing or use your hands to help work it together.
Don’t overfill the cookies with lemon curd or else it will ooze out as the cookies bake in the oven. I find that ½ teaspoon is the perfect amount for each one.
You don’t have to roll the cookie dough balls in sugar, but I like the subtle crunch it adds to the exterior of the cookies. It also adds a little extra sweetness!