These lemon curd cookies are totally addictive and will definitely become a family favourite. From the melt in the mouth, buttery shortbread to the zing of that lemon curd centre, these lemon thumbprint cookies are seriously out of this world.
In fact, I urge you to make your own lemon curd from scratch, which takes only 10 minutes and is much easier than it may sound. Lucky for you, I have a wonderful homemade lemon curd recipe you’ll be wanting to eat straight off a spoon.
You’ll love these raspberry thumbprint cookies and this lemon shortbread too.
This recipe was first published here on March 5th 2020, and has been updated with clearer step by step photos.
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Ingredients you’ll need
Aside from that gorgeous, tangy lemon curd, the actual cookie part is what really makes these cookies super special. It may sound like a cliché but I promise, they just melt in your mouth. They’re so delicate and buttery and have a secret ingredient to give them an amazing texture.
If you’ve ever heard of meltaway cookies or melting moments, these lemon cookies are very similar and that secret ingredient I mentioned is corn flour (cornstarch).
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
- Butter: These lemon thumbprint cookies have a good ratio of butter. This helps to give them richness and flavour but also the wonderful soft shortbread texture.
- Icing sugar: Icing sugar (aka powdered sugar) adds just the right amount of sweetness plus adds to the texture.
- Flour: Plain flour (aka all purpose flour) is all you need.
- Cornflour: Cornflour, known in some places as cornstarch, is a starch often used for thickening sauces but it’s also used in baking to create soft texture in cake or a melty texture in these lemon curd shortbread cookies.
- Vanilla extract: Please use a pure vanilla extract and not vanilla essence which is a synthetic flavouring.
- Lemon curd: Finally, you can’t have lemon curd cookies without lemon curd. Take the 10 minutes to make your easy lemon curd from scratch and you’ll never want store-bought lemon curd again. You’ll just need fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, granulated sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks and butter. So easy!
How to make lemon curd cookies
So simple, all you need is a couple of bowls and a mixer and you can use either a stand mixer or an electric handheld beater.
You could go the extra mile and add a meringue topping like these lemon meringue pie cookies.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Cream the butter and sugar
Start by beating together softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until it’s creamy. Before starting, the butter should be softened so that you can see a dent when you press it but not so soft that it’s greasy.
2. Add the dry ingredients
Combine the flour, corn flour (cornstarch) and salt in a separate bowl then add the flour mixture in 3 parts to the butter mixture, mixing just enough between each for it to be incorporated.
3. Roll the cookie dough balls
Now roll the dough into little balls – I use a cookie scoop then roll them so they’re all the same size but if you don’t have one, you’re looking for roughly 1 tablespoon of dough each – then roll the cookie dough ball in granulated sugar and sit them on a baking tray or cookie sheet.
4. Shape, fill and bake
Press your thumb slowly down into each cookie to make a deep indent – some will crack and that’s fine. Fill each hole with lemon curd. Bake for 10 -12 minutes.
There is no need to chill this lemon thumbprint cookie dough as a general rule but if it is very hot or humid where you are, they may benefit from a 10-15 minute chill in the fridge before baking.
I really, really, really urge you to make your own lemon curd for these lemon cookies. It’s easy and far better than purchasing something from a store with who knows what ingredients in it.
Homemade lemon curd keeps well in the fridge in airtight jars. Any jar that will have an airtight seal is good and if you use smaller ones, the curd can last up to 3 months in the fridge, unopened.
This cookie dough is a variation on my melting moments cookies and they absolutely deserve their name. You can try my original raspberry version or my traditional lemon melting moments too.
Variations
- Curd: You can swap the lemon curd for other curd flavours too – try this passionfruit curd or my blood orange curd. You can also try lime cookies with this lime curd.
- Jam: Swap the curd completely for your favourite jam – strawberry, blackberry, raspberry – whichever you love.
How to store these cookies
Store the lemon curd thumbprints in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Let them come to room temperature before eating.
They can be frozen too. Freeze them in a single layer, then once frozen transfer them to an airtight container. Freezing them first, means they won’t stick together.
These lemon curd thumbprint cookies are perfect for a morning tea or picnic. So easy to make and the aroma that fills your home is divine. Better make two batches as they’ll disappear quickly.
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Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter softened (1 ¾ sticks / 7oz)
- 70 g icing sugar (powdered sugar) (½ cup / 2 ½oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 225 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (1 ¾ cups / 8oz)
- 45 g cornflour (US cornstarch) (⅓ cup / 1.6oz)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup lemon curd
- granulated sugar to roll optional
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- large baking sheet
- 1 tablespoon cookie scoop helpful but not essential
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced) / 350F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Beat together the butter and sugar (you can use a stand mixer with paddle attachment or an electric handheld beater).
- Add the vanilla and mix through.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornflour and salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mix in 3 parts, gently mixing between each until just incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop (approximately 1 tablespoon) and roll balls of dough.
- Roll them in a little granulated sugar, then place them on the prepared tray.
- Use your thumb to press a deep dent (slowly) into each cookie and fill it with lemon curd.
- Bake for 10 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges, then let them cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- You can use this easy lemon curd recipe to make lemon curd at home in 10 minutes.
- All ovens vary – always test for doneness 1-2 minutes before the recipe suggests
- For best results, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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22 Comments on “Lemon Curd Cookies”
Made these for an afternoon tea. Everyone loved them. They melt in your mouth with lovely lemony tang.
I’m so happy you love them Janine. Truly appreciate you dropping back to review.
These biscuits are really easy to make and bloody delicious. I will definitely make again 😁
So happy you love them, Zanda. I truly appreciate you dropping back to leave a review.
these cookies were the perfect consistency, crunchy but not overbaked and they tasted so yummy!
I’m so happy you love them 🙂
Can these cookies be frozen with the lemon curd?
They sure can 🙂 Up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Delicious and easy! Thank you! These are a new favorite.
So happy you love it, Therese. Thanks so much for dropping back to leave a review.
so good and easy to make
So happy you love them, Breanna. Thanks so much for trying my recipe.
These were delicious. Beautiful shortbread taste and no need to chill in advance. They held their shape well and I used exactly the recommended tablespoon for each one so they were consistent in size. A good size. I found it helped to use lightly floured hands to roll into ball shapes. Loved them. Thanks Marie.
Thank you Helen. So happy you love them 🙂
How many dozen will this make?
Roughly 30 cookies, Susan
These turned out absolutely delicious, I made your lemon curd to go in the middle. Wonderful ❤️
Thank you Joanne, so happy you loved them
Loved trying this recipe! The only thing i had an issue with was that the cookies melted and totally lost the shape in the oven but apart from that they are delicious 🙂
Hello Lucia, if you’ve weighed out all the ingredients to get the correct amounts, this could be caused by the oven being too hot. This would cause the butter in the cookies to melt before the outside of the cookies have time to set up. There are two things you can do.
1. Keep an oven thermometer inside your oven. Oven thermostats are often out of whack and some ovens don’t circulate the hot air so well. A separate thermometer is helpful to keep an eye on it. They’re very cheap.
2. While I don’t do this, chilling the cookies on the tray for 15 minutes will help too.
Look at that! These cookies are so luscious, refreshing, bright, and positive. They scream that spring is around the corner. Love the lightening in these photos, too.
Thank you so much Ben 🙂