My mom has the best easy but delicious Christmas cookie recipes. Few ingredients, few steps, perfect for kids to help with or to make en mass for a cookie exchange. First, I shared her chocolate peanut butter crispy candies and now I’m sharing her easy lemon shortbread cookies!
I tend to prefer shortbread to sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies, so these are a great alternative for shaped cookies if you feel the same! Or, do what my mom does, and simply roll them into balls and press them with a fork! Either way, they’re a light and yummy crowd pleaser.
Lemon Shortbread Cookie Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Cookie cutters if desired
How To Make Lemon Shortbread Cookies
To make the lemon shortbread cookies, follow these easy steps!
- Beat butter, sugar and lemon extract until creamy
- Add flour, beating on low speed until mixed
- Divide dough into thirds
- Press each third into a 2/3″ thick disk using parchment paper or plastic wrap
- Chill for 30 minutes
- Roll each to 1/8″ thick on a floured surface
- Cut out shapes, add sprinkles if desired
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes
- Decorate if you’d like!
What should I decorate these with?
I believe shortbread is all about the shortbread, but here’s a few ideas for what to decorate them with:
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon glaze
- Melted white chocolate or candy melts (put in a ziplock and trim the corner for an easy piping bag!
- Store-bought icing
- Sprinkles (Add these before baking)
- Mini M&Ms (Great for Rudolph noses and snowman buttons!)
- Chocolate coated sunflower seeds (they look like mini Christmas lights!)
These are the perfect cookies for making with your child! They can help make the easy dough, roll it and cut it and decorate to their heart’s desire!
Quick Alternative to Cut Out Cookies
Prefer an even quicker option for making these cookies? Roll dough into balls and press each with a fork. Add sprinkles and bake following the same instructions!
Can I change the flavor?
Yes! If you don’t like lemon flavor, you can swap the lemon extract for almond or vanilla extract.
More Easy Cookie Recipes To Try
- Christmas Tree Cookie Bars
- Color Dipped Gingerbread Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Candies
- Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Everyone’s Favorite Raspberry Bars
- Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Enjoy these easy and delicious lemon shortbread cookies this holiday season, or anytime!
Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups butter, softened 3 sticks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Icing, powdered sugar, candy toppings as desired
Instructions
- Beat butter, sugar and lemon extract together until creamy.
- Add flour, beating on low speed until mixed.
- Divide dough into thirds.
- Press each third into a 2/3″ thick disk using parchment paper or plastic wrap.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll each third to 1/8″ thick on a floured surface.
- Cut out shapes. Re-roll remaining dough to get more cookies! You can add sprinkles before baking, if desired.
- Place on an uncreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
- Decorate however you’d like, or not at all!
Notes
- If you don’t want to make three dozen cookies, you can freeze one or more of the thirds!
- As an alternative to cut-out cookies, roll the cookies into balls and press each with a fork. Top with sprinkles before baking.
Eleanor says
Hello! As a non-US follower I would love to see ingredient quantities in grams as well as cups, if that’s something you’d be up for doing. Thanks!