Lemon Shortbread
Makes about 48 cookies

Try our lemon shortbread cookies with fresh lemon zest, pure lemon extract, and a bright lemon glaze - each nibble is a tantalizing delight! These buttery and bright treats are made from a simple shortbread dough that's easy to roll out and cut into your desired shapes. Let’s get baking!

Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large lemon zested, (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
3 tablespoons corn starch

Lemon Glaze: (optional)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1. In a stand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter until smooth but not overly fluffy. Add the sugar and mix until creamy and combined. Add the lemon zest, vanilla and lemon extract and mix until combined.

2.  In a separate bowl, measure the flour by weight using a kitchen scale. Too much flour can make the shortbread cookies too dense, so measuring by weight will be more accurate. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with the flour using a fork. 

TIP: Adding cornstarch to the shortbread results in a more tender texture to the final cookie.

3. Add the flour mixture to the mixer and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

4. On a silicone baking mat, piece of parchment paper, or plastic wrap, empty the dough from the mixing bowl, and using a light touch, gather into a dough ball. Pat the ball into a 1-inch flat disc and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

5. When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare cookie baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or choose nonstick baking sheets. 

6. Roll out the cookie dough on a silicone baking mat or clean work surface dusted with flour. Dust the rolling pin and your hands with a bit of flour, and then roll out the cookie dough to be 1/4-inch thick. PRO TIP: We like to use a rolling pin that has measurement rings to ensure we are getting to exactly 1/4-inch thick evenly rolled out dough! 

7. Cut the cookies out in a shape of your choice. We used a 2-inch circle cutter. Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared cookie sheet about an inch apart. Prick the top of each cookie with a fork to help with reduce the spread as they bake.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just barely begin to turn brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool slightly – about 4-5 minutes – right on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

9. Make the lemon glaze. In small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and one tablespoon of the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add additional lemon juice a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached, about a 3-second ribbon. 

10. Spread or drizzle the icing on top of the cooled cookies. Finish the cookies with a garnish of lemon zest. Allow the icing to set and harden prior to storing.