Lemon Shortbread Cookies
An Easter and spring version of a lemon shortbread to create variations for the perfect tea time!
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
These lemon shortbread cookies are perfect for a great tea party! Just switch the decorations for the theme of your tea party celebration.
Whether you make "tea bag", mini houses or shaped lemon shortbread cookies...tea time will be beautifully and deliciously celebrated!
Nothing else needed but time with friends and family gathered with feet under your table.
Enjoy!