Description

These Lemon Curd Cookies combine soft, buttery cookies with a tangy homemade lemon curd center for a delightful balance of sweet and citrus flavors. Perfect as a bright, refreshing treat, these cookies feature a tender texture and a zesty lemon punch that makes them an irresistible dessert for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the lemon curd:

½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)
1 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
Pinch (⅛ tsp) salt
½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

For the cookies:

2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Powdered sugar, for dusting

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Instructions

Make the lemon curd: Combine lemon juice, zest, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly for about 20–25 minutes until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in cold cubed butter until smooth. Cover the curd with plastic wrap directly on its surface to prevent a skin from forming and let cool completely.
Prepare cookie dough: In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until combined. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Wrap the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Shape and bake: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Using a cookie scoop or spoon, form 1-inch balls of dough and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Use a ½ tsp measuring spoon to gently press a shallow well into the center of each dough ball. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn lightly golden.
Fill and finish: While the cookies are still warm, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cooled lemon curd into the indentation in each cookie. Optionally, dust the cookies with powdered sugar before or after filling. Allow the cookies to cool fully on the baking sheet before serving.

Notes

Ensure the lemon curd is completely cooled before filling the cookies to avoid melting the cookie centers.
Chilling the dough is essential for maintaining the cookie shape and preventing spreading during baking.
Use fresh lemons for the best flavor; bottled lemon juice may affect the brightness of the curd.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
For easier filling, you can use a piping bag to pipe the lemon curd into the cookie wells.