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:
Split the shortbread dough into two equal pieces.
Roll half the dough to a 12″ round, spread the lemon curd over the dough, and egg wash the edges.
Roll the other half of the dough to a 12″ round and place it on top of the filling.
Trim the edges of the shortbread round.
Score the dough into 12 wedges.
After baking and cooling, cut the shortbread wedges along the scored lines.
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.
Shortbread Filled with Lemon Curd
The only thing better than a perfectly buttery shortbread cookie is a wedge of Shortbread filled with Lemon Curd.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 sticks (8 oz, 224g) unsalted butter, room temperature (see note)
- 1/2 cup (4 oz, 120 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (10 oz, 280g) all purpose flour
Assembly
- 1/2 cup (5 oz 135g) Lemon curd
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for finish
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a mixer bowl and mix until softened and combined, do not aerate. Add the 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 1/2 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 (1/8" thick). Transfer to the rolled dough to the parchment sheet.
- Spread the curd over the the dough round, leaving a 1/2" 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.
Notes
The butter should be pliable and slightly cool, not greasy or at all melty.
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James D
Monday 14th of June 2021
OK, I'm going to share a memory with you. Something similar was a favourite of mine when I was a kid. Griffin's Bakery in Galway (Ireland) had a pastry they sold as a 'Princess Finger'. Unceasing googling has since convinced me that this treat was unknown in the world at large.
But this is what it was: a slab of shortcake topped with a ring of hard chocolate icing filled with lemon curd (though my memory recalls it as orange curd).
Eileen Gray
Monday 14th of June 2021
I hope it was orange curd. The combination of lemon and chocolate is a personal pet peeve for me! LOL
Phil
Sunday 7th of March 2021
Made these yesterday and the whole family enjoyed them! I really like the recipe, one thing though, I personally think a little less butter should be used. Apart from that, excellent cookie!
Janet
Tuesday 17th of November 2020
Can this shortbread dough be rolled and cut into smaller size cookies?
Eileen Gray
Wednesday 18th of November 2020
Absolutely!
Analu Cruze
Sunday 20th of October 2019
I made my grandmothers/mothers shortbread cookie recipe and decided to spread the tops with lemon curd. It was a favorite of my guest. I was trying to think of alternate ways to either infuse the lemon curd or dress the cookie with the lemon curd. I found your page and I was delighted to see another example. It's a pie! Fun and still quite presentable. Thank you!
Eileen Gray
Sunday 20th of October 2019
We all need more lemon curd in our life, right? This truly is one of my favorite recipes in the world.
Eileen Gray
Friday 11th of August 2017
Use plain flour, not self rising. You could probably freeze the baked shortbread, but it might be a little soft when defrosted. If you want to work ahead I would recommend that you put the shortbread together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and then freeze, unbaked. The day you want to serve you can defrost, then bake. The shortbread is good at room temperature for several days.