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Lemon Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

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3.9 from 56 reviews

Sweet, soft lemon thumbprint cookies filled with tangy lemon curd and drizzled with a light lemon glaze. These buttery cookies are delightfully creamy in texture, requiring refrigeration of the dough for optimal shaping and baking. Perfect for a bright, citrusy treat that can be customized with other fruit preserves if desired.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 14 Tablespoons (200g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Coating & Filling

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (140g) homemade lemon curd or store-bought lemon curd

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt until evenly combined. Set this mixture aside for later.
  2. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. Add wet ingredients: Add fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, and vanilla bean paste to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat on high speed for approximately 1 minute until combined. The mixture may appear curdled initially but will smooth out with the addition of dry ingredients.
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix in the flour mixture on low speed until just combined. The dough will be very creamy at this stage.
  5. Chill the dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 3 days. Chilling is essential to manage the softness of the dough for shaping.
  6. Prepare for shaping: Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Make sure you have space in the refrigerator for the baking sheets to chill the shaped cookies before baking.
  7. Shape and coat dough balls: Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scoop about 1 tablespoon (18g) of cold dough and roll it into a ball. Roll each dough ball in the sugar to coat and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  8. Indent and fill cookies: Use your thumb to make a deep indentation in the center of each dough ball. Fill each indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd.
  9. Preheat oven and chill shaped cookies: Set the oven to 350°F (177°C). Place the baking sheets with the shaped cookies in the refrigerator while the oven preheats to prevent over-spreading.
  10. Bake cookies: Bake the cookies for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges look set and are just beginning to turn light brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Make lemon icing: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until smooth and drizzly.
  12. Decorate cookies: Drizzle the lemon icing over the completely cooled cookies using a spoon, fork, or squeeze bottle. Allow the icing to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving or storing.

Notes

  • Make Ahead & Freezing: Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days before shaping. Unbaked shaped cookie balls, if not sugar-coated or filled, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw for 30 minutes before coating, filling, and baking. Baked and cooled cookies also freeze up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator or at room temperature.
  • Refrigerating dough is critical due to its soft and creamy texture which helps avoid spreading during baking.
  • Substitute lemon curd with raspberry, strawberry, or apricot preserves if desired for flavor variation.

Find it online: https://flavorspath.com/lemon-thumbprint-cookies-recipe/