Lemon Curd Shortbread Cookies!

Lemon Curd Shortbread! The only thing better than a perfectly buttery shortbread cookie is a wedge of shortbread filled with luscious lemon curd.

I love shortbread and I have a great go-to recipe that I’ve used for years and years. The recipe is super-simple; just unsalted butter, sugar, a pinch of salt and flour. I don’t even add vanilla to my basic shortbread because I think good shortbread should taste like butter.

As I’ve mentioned before, I was the baker for a British Tea Shop (here in the US) for a number of years. At the tea shop I was introduced to shortbread filled with lemon curd and shortbread filled with jam.

Two rounds of dough are filled with lemon curd (or any other fruit curd) or jam, baked, and then cut into wedges.

I don’t know if this is a typical British tea-time treat or just something the shop owner’s mom created, but it was love at first bite for me.

Scroll through the step by step photos to see how to make Lemon Curd Shortbread:

Take this shortbread recipe and use you imagination for the filling. Most often I make Shortbread filled with lemon curd or jam, but I’ve tried using a thick cajeta (not successful-it leaked) and frangipane (very successful!).

I used the same shortbread base for my Peppermint Bark Shortbread and Creme Brulee Shortbread for holiday gift boxes. It’s a very versatile recipe that’s definitely worth keeping in your collection.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

Print Recipe

4.55 from 53 reviews

Shortbread Filled with Lemon Curd

By: Eileen Gray

The only thing better than a perfectly buttery shortbread cookie is a wedge of Shortbread filled with Lemon Curd.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Bake Time25 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

12 slices

US CustomaryMetric

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Dough

• 8 oz unsalted butter (room temperature (see note))
• 4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 10 oz all purpose flour (2 cups)

Assembly

• 5 oz Lemon curd (½ cup)
• 1 large egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for finish)

Instructions

Make the Dough

• Combine 8 oz unsalted butter, 4 oz granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon table salt in a mixer bowl and mix until softened and combined, do not aerate. Add 10 oz all purpose flour and mix just until a dough is formed. Split the dough into 2 equal portions
• (At this stage the dough can be wrapped and refrigerated or frozen for later use).

Assemble the shortbread

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Place a ½ sheet of parchment paper off to the side on the work surface. On another area of the work surface roll one disc of dough into a 12" round (⅛" thick). Transfer to the rolled dough to the parchment sheet.
• Spread 5 oz Lemon curd over the the dough round, leaving a ½" border around the edge. Brush the border with egg wash.
• Roll the other dough to a 12" round. Roll the 2nd dough round onto the rolling pin and unroll onto the curd covered bottom layer. Use a paring knife or pizza cutter to trim the ragged edges of the shortbread round.
• Use a fork to crimp and glue together the edges. Prick the shortbread all over with the fork to create steam vents. (At this stage the round can frozen for later use).
• Use a long serrated knife to lightly score the shortbread into 12 wedges, being careful not to cut through the top layer. Sprinkle the shortbread round with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
• Bake until the dough is lightly golden and baked through, about 20 minutes.
• Allow to cool to room temperature and cut along score lines.

Equipment

My Book

Kitchen Scale

KA Stand Mixer

Half Sheet Pans

Parchment Sheets

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Notes

The butter should be pliable and slightly cool, not greasy or at all melty.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 492IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!