Easter Tea Party Time–A New Lemon Shortbread Cookie
As Easter approaches, it’s the perfect time to start planning a delightful tea party to celebrate the season. And what better way to surprise your guests than with a delicious and unique treat? Creativity took me to a lemon shortbread cookie. But what form would they take? Tea bag cookies? Chick cookies? or Easter mini houses? Wouldn’t they be just the thing to add a touch of whimsy to your Easter gathering? Bursting with tart and sweet flavor, they’re sure to be a hit with both kids and adults alike. Plus, they’re surprisingly fun and easy to make and have ready when guests drop in. Read on for the recipe and get ready to impress your guests!
Spring weather has arrived here with the crocus and daffodils making their appearance. It made me think perhaps we might just need an Easter tea party this year!
We have had fairy garden tea parties…afternoon tea parties and even birthday tea parties here.
If you missed that fairy garden tea party, you need to see the cutest Easter Tea party set that we used.
But this time? What if we switched things up a bit.
How about taking a great lemon cookie recipe to decorate in different ways and enjoy with our tea? Easter shaped chicks, eggs and basket cookies would be great with this recipe.
Can you imagine a new version of those tiny gingerbread houses with this lemon shortbread cookie recipe?
Just switch out the gingerbread recipe for this one and have fun with a bit of Easter sprinkles to decorate those tiny houses.
What about creating “tea bag” shaped cookies? You may have to try them all, too, with this recipe!
So many ideas for this lemon shortbread cookie recipe!
Here’s the recipe for those cookies:
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 mixer
- 1 oven
- 1 Baking Sheet
- Measuring cups/spoons
- 1 juicer
- 1 zester or grater
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 spool of twine or ribbon for teabag hanger
- tags for the end of the teabag twine or ribbon
Ingredients
- 1 C butter, softened
- 2/3 C sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1 T lemon zest
- 2 1/3 C all purpose flour
- 1 t salt
- sprinkles to decorate cut cookies and houses
- 3 oz white chocolate or almond bark
- food coloring to color white chocolate
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy with your mixer.
- Beat in egg and lemon juice and zest.
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour and salt. Gradually beat in flour into creamed mixture.
- When dough is completely mixed, remove it from the mixing bowl and form a disk in a ziplock storage bag OR onto parchment paper.
- If adding dough to parchment paper, fold over to completely seal. Add to a food storage bag if you'd like.
- Refrigerate about 3 hours until firm enough to roll.
- When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350°.
- Place cookie dough onto counter and top with another piece of parchment paper to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin.
- Roll with a rolling pin until dough is about 1/8" thick.
- Remove top parchment paper and using cookie cutters or template, cut out cookies and place onto an ungreased cookie cutter. TIP: try to keep dough as cold as possible while rolling/cutting for best results.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown around the edges.
- FOR Tea Bag cookies–Use a rectangular cookie cutter and then cut off corners from each side of the top so that it resembles a tea bag. TIP: Make a pattern with card stock- mine was 2" x 3" with 1/2" corners off. Hole punch center placement where you will need to use the straw to cut out to add the twine after cooled.Use a straw to add a hole before baking for a string to be added after baking.After cookies are baked and cooled, add 1 oz. of white chocolate to the microwave and slowly melt. Add a bit of food coloring to make different pastel colors and patterns for the bottoms.Finish off with twine or ribbon looped through the hole to give it the "tea bag" look. Add a tag to the end of the ribbon to make it look more authentic.
- FOR Cookie Cutter cookies–USE Easter cookie cutters to cut before baking.After they have cooled, ice with your favorite glaze or royal icing with or without sprinkles. TIP: Microwave 1 oz of white chocolate and add gel food coloring to add an easy coating with a mini chocolate chip eye for the chicks.
- FOR Mini Houses–Use the mini house cookie cutters with the dough before baking.For these, you may use royal icing to attach pieces and decorate or a melted chocolate left white or tinted with pastel colors. Easter sprinkles give it a more authentic look.
- Decorate after cooling! Enjoy with your favorite tea!
Notes
Easter Tea Party Pleasers!
Everyone will be amazed with these sweet lemon teabag cookies! Aren’t they the cutest?
Then there’s the Chick Cookies that match that Easter Greetings sign…
Next, those mini Easter houses. Just a note…the tinted white chocolate was the only glue holding those houses and decorations together. The royal icing is definitely easier than the chocolate…but both will work! Oh, goodness! Royal icing with bags and tips will be used to make the next ones cuter.
These can be perfect for any tea party celebration.
Customize them to your theme and with a favorite choice of tea, you will have created the BEST sweet afternoon tea.
Can’t you see these for a bridal or baby shower made with this lemon shortbread cookies recipe?
Perhaps just an afternoon tea where friends just gather for a great cup of tea, conversation and a “tea bag” cookie?
More Inspiration for Easter here…
If you need more ideas to decorate or entertain for Easter, here are a few more ideas that may help!
Thank you to Carol@Blueskyathome for gathering all of us together to share inspiration. Always a joy!
If you are joining here from Kim@PerfectingPlaces, her kitchen ideas are always the best!
If you are following along in order…join Michelle@thistlekeylane for some great spring and Easter Crafts.
39 Comments
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Renae Frey
These cookies sound amazing!n I love lemon anything, but lemon shortcake sounds devine. Hugs to you.
Leslie J Watkins
Thanks, Renae! I’m always a lemon lover.
laura
Hi Leslie, those teabag cookies are adorable! Pinning!
laura
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Laura. Can’t wait to make these for other teas!
Kim Hume
Leslie, these cookies are beautiful and sound delicious! I love lemon, and it’s the perfect flavor for spring! Thanks so much for sharing!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Kim. Lemon is simply a favorite for spring here.
Jen
Oh my goodness, Leslie. My mouth is watering. These look so delicious! I love anything with lemon. I am going to share a photo and the link to your recipe in my weekly recap on Saturday. I think my readers will really enjoy this recipe too.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Cindy Walker
I’m sure these lemon cookies will soon be my favorite. Thank you!
Leslie J Watkins
Thanks, Cindy! Hope you love them!
Leslie J Watkins
Thanks so much for sharing, Jen! We love anything lemon, as well.
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you for sharing, Jen. I’ll be reading your post on Saturday! I’ve become a lemon fan here, too, and had so much fun with this one. Enjoy!
Michelle | Thistle Key Lane
Two words I adore are lemon and shortbread! Your cookies are so cute and no doubt delicious too! Pinning!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Michelle…shortbread and lemon are my favorites, too!
Alda Ellis
So saving this one too! The teabag shortbread cookies would be so cute for a bridal shower…and I love shortbread!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Alda! I know, right? I think sugared pansies would be adorable on bridal shower ones!
Martha+Wallace
Those tea bag cookies are to die for! Adorable! The Easter houses are just too much! Your creativity juices were in overdrive! Well done!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Martha. I need to remake those houses with royal icing and tips instead of the white chocolate next time! We need to have a tea party don’t you think?
Vickie Ramey
Love shortbread and love lemon cookies. Sounds like a match from heaven. Trying soon! I always love your Easter decor!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you! I love both shortbread and lemon, too. So wish you were here to enjoy it all.
Kate @ Southern Home and Hospitality
You can always count me in on a lemon dessert Leslie – these look yummy! And the teabag idea is so clever! Pinning!!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Kate. A new fun way to celebrate Easter!
Tammy
Oh Leslie, these are the sweetest cookies for a tea party or Easter. I love them, my friend.
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Tammy! I think they will be fun to make for other parties, too. Loving sharing your Easter eggs today!
Carol@Blueskyathome
Leslie, your tea bag lemon cookies are so cute. What a unique idea. The recipe sounds yummy. I do love lemon. I’d love to come to tea at your house. Thanks for sharing at Celebrate the Holiday.
Leslie J Watkins
I’d love for you to come to tea here, too, Carol. That would be the BEST! Thanks again, for hosting, and sharing all of our Easter fun this week. So very appreciative of all you do!
Kim Waldorf
A tea party and yummy cookie! Yes, please…I’ll be right over! Sharing this weekend!
Leslie J Watkins
Oh, thank you for sharing. I’d LOVE for you to come on over. That would make my heart so very happy!
Pingback:
Regina Jenkins
Leslie, my two absolute favorites, shortbread and lemon. I have never mixed them. I can’t wait to try your recipe and I am in love with the little tea bags. Pinned.
Leslie J Watkins
Thanks so much…I have so many ideas for recreating those tea bag cookies! A little softer and more refined is the next teatime cookie.
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Laura Pederson
These look so delicious! There’s nothing better than lemon and shortbread… a yummy spring combo! I can’t wait to make these! Thanks for sharing!
Leslie J Watkins
Thank you, Laura. The different versions of these were so fun to make and enjoy. Hope you love them!
Pingback: