Description
Zesty lemon shortbread cookies dance with buttery elegance, offering a delightful twist on classic Scottish treats. Crumbly, tangy, and irresistibly smooth, these cookies will transport you to a sunny afternoon with their bright citrus charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) butter, softened
- 2 1/4 cups (335 grams) plain flour
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) caster sugar
Lemon Flavoring:
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 cup (160 grams) icing sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon milk or water
Instructions
- Prepare workspace by heating oven to 150°C (fan) and lining baking trays with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whip butter, sugar, and lemon zest until achieving a pale, airy texture, approximately 5 minutes.
- Gradually incorporate flour into the butter mixture, stirring minimally to maintain a delicate consistency.
- Transfer dough onto a lightly dusted surface and gently manipulate to create a cohesive texture.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten dough uniformly to 1 cm thickness, then utilize a 5-cm circular cutter to shape shortbread rounds.
- Refrigerate cookie rounds for 15 minutes to enhance structural integrity and flavor development.
- Position chilled rounds on prepared trays and bake for 25-30 minutes, monitoring until edges transform to a soft golden hue and texture becomes firm.
- Allow cookies to rest for 5 minutes post-baking, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Prepare icing by blending ingredients until achieving a smooth, drizzleable consistency.
- Once shortbread completely cools, elegantly drizzle icing across surfaces and permit to set before serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for smooth, creamy mixing and better incorporation with sugar and zest.
- Avoid overmixing flour to prevent tough, dense shortbread; stop mixing once dough just comes together.
- Chilling dough before baking helps cookies maintain shape and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- For gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with almond or gluten-free blend, adjusting liquid slightly for desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Scottish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 268
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 4 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg