Lemon Curd Cookies

Buttery melt-in-your-mouth cookies topped with a dollop of tangy lemon curd, shaped like a half-boiled egg these are the cutest lemon curd cookies

Lemon is one of those flavors that go so well with desserts because it is the complete opposite of anything sweet. It's sour and tangy, and that's what makes it pair so well with baked treats!

These are a combination of super tender melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies and smooth tangy lemon curd for a perfectly balanced cookie, both in texture and flavor. If you aren't a fan of super sweet cookies this is the cookie you'll want to try.

Tips on making lemon curd

Lemon curd is easy to make, but there are a couple of things that can go wrong during the cooking process. Keep these tips in mind for a smooth homemade lemon curd.

Heat over medium-low heat

Heat control is very important when making lemon curd as if the temperature is too high the egg yolks may scramble. This will make your curd lumpy and grainy, with a weird aftertaste. Always keep an eye on the temperature and adjust if needed.

Whisk constantly

Whisking the lemon curd constantly prevents any egg from catching on the bottom of the bowl and scrambling. It also ensures that the heat is evenly distributed throughout the bowl, preventing parts of the curd from cooking faster than others.

Once the curd begins to thicken you can change to a spatula and continue to mix until the curd coats the spatula and a line can be drawn through it.

Add butter off the heat

Make sure you take your curd off the heat before adding your butter, this melts the butter gently and prevents the curd from potentially splitting.

Tips on shaping the cookies

While it is optional to shape the cookies like cute half-boiled eggs, these tips will help you cut the cookies out to whatever shape you desire.

Roll the cookie dough out betweeen two sheets of parchment paper

One of my favourite tips when making cookies is rolling the douigh out between two sheets of parchment paper. This prevents the dough from sticking to your work bench and rolling pin while giving it a super smooth surface.

Chill your dough before cutting

Once you've rolled out your dough place it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. This process will not only prevent your dough from spreading when baked, but it will also make it easier to work with.

Chilled dough will be a lot firmer, so you can move your cut out shapes to your baking tray without ruining them.

Let your dough sit at room temperature

Once you've cut out your shapes with a cookie cutter you'll notice that the dough is still quite firm. We want to create an indent in the center of each cookie, but the dough should be malleable in order to do that.

Leave your dough at room temperature for 10-15 mins after cutting them out, then use a small round utensil or your finger to create a round indent where the 'yolk' would be.

If you don't want to make egg shaped cookies feel free to use a round cookie cutter and make an indent in the centre for the lemon curd.

Ingredients

Shortbread Cookie

• Unsalted butter: Butter adds fat to the cookie so it has that melt-in-your-mouth texture
• Egg yolk: Egg yolks help bind the dough together while adding extra fat for a super tender mouthfeel

• Powdered sugar: Icing, powdered or confectioners sugar is used as the fine texture of the sugar enhances the cookie's soft texture
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used in combination with all-purpose flour as it doesn't form gluten. This results in a softer cookie.
• All purpose flour: Regular flour makes up the rest of the cookies structure!
• Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla just adds extra flavour!

Lemon Curd

• Lemon juice: The star of the show! Make sure you use fresh lemon juice for the best flavour
• Lemon zest: Adding a little lemon zest to the curd ups the lemon flavour!
• Granulated sugar: Regular sugar works perfectly in this as it will be dissolved over a hot water bath with the egg yolks and lemon juice

• Egg yolks: Egg yolks are the thickening agent in the curd, giving the curd body
• Unsalted butter: Butter acts as an emulsifier in the curd, giving it a creamy and silky texture. It also helps the curd thicken up as it chills.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do these last?

These cookies will last up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If you want these to last longer store the cookies and lemon curd seperately and assemble them just before serving.

As the lemon curd has moisture in it, the cookie will start to absorb that once assembled. This is why it won't last as long if assembled.

Do lemon curd cookies need to be refrigerated?

Yes! As lemon curd is made with egg yolks and butter it is important to store them in the fridge to prevent them from going off.

How long does lemon curd keep?

If stored in an airtight contaier lemon curd can last up to a week. Some lemon curds will last longer as they have more lemon juice or more sugar. However my recipe doesn't in order to have a delicious balanced flavour!

Why did my lemon curd split?

There are a couple of reasons why your lemon curd split:

• You didn't use a water bath
• The temperature used to cook the lemon curd was too high
• The butter was added too early, or when the curd was too hot

What is lemon curd good on?

Lemon curd is good with so many different things, from toast to cakes the options are endless. If you want to have something sweet and tangy lemon curd is the way to go.

Let's Get Baking

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.

Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

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