The Best Easy Lemon Shortbread Recipe….

If you love classic homemade shortbread but fancy giving it a fresh, citrusy twist, this easy lemon shortbread recipe is the perfect place to start. It has the same buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture as traditional shortbread, with the addition of fresh lemon zest and juice to give it a light, refreshing flavour.

I originally shared my simple shortbread recipe as part of my Start Here series because it’s one of those classic bakes that everyone should have in their recipe collection. This lemon version is just as easy to make and is perfect for spring afternoons, homemade gifts or simply enjoying with a cup of tea.

Before we get started, I need to apologise for the photos! I actually baked these lemon shortbread biscuits for a Bake Off competition at work rather than for the blog, so taking beautifully styled photos wasn’t exactly at the front of my mind. They were so popular that they disappeared almost as quickly as I’d put them out, leaving me with just a few quick snaps before they were all gone. The good news is they seemed to go down really well as I even came third in the competition! I was planning to bake another batch before sharing the recipe so I could take some nicer photos, but so many people asked me for the recipe afterwards that I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer. I promise I’ll update this post with some prettier pictures next time I make them, but I didn’t want you to have to wait!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This lemon shortbread is:

• Made with just four everyday ingredients plus fresh lemon.
• Quick and easy enough for beginner bakers.
• Wonderfully buttery with a delicate lemon flavour.
• Perfect with a cuppa, packed into lunchboxes or wrapped up as a homemade gift.
• Easy to customise with a simple lemon glaze if you’d like an extra burst of citrus.

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 50g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 150g plain flour

Optional Lemon Glaze

• 75g icing sugar
• 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Method

Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the finely grated lemon zest and the lemon juice, mixing until everything is well combined.

Tip in the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels a little softer than your usual shortbread dough because of the lemon juice, wrap it and chill it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes before rolling.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to around 1cm thick before cutting out your chosen shapes. I used flower cutters, but hearts, stars or simple circles all work beautifully too.

Arrange the biscuits on your prepared baking tray, leaving a little space between each one.

Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a pale golden colour while the tops remain mostly pale.

Leave the shortbread on the baking tray for around 10 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t be tempted to move them too soon as they’ll still be quite delicate straight from the oven. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, giving you that lovely melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Optional Lemon Glaze

If you’d like an even stronger lemon flavour, mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a smooth, drizzleable icing.

Once the shortbread has completely cooled, drizzle the icing over the top and, if you like, finish with a little extra finely grated lemon zest. Leave the icing to set before serving or storing.

Top Tips for Perfect Lemon Shortbread

The secret to good shortbread is not overbaking it. It should still look quite pale across the top when you take it out of the oven, with only the very edges starting to turn golden. It might feel slightly soft at first, but it will become perfectly crisp and crumbly as it cools.

Fresh lemon zest gives the best flavour, so try to avoid grating the white pith underneath the skin as this can make the biscuits taste bitter.

If your dough feels a little sticky after adding the lemon juice, don’t worry. Simply chill it for 15–20 minutes before rolling and it’ll be much easier to work with.

These biscuits are lovely just as they are, but they’re also delicious with the optional lemon glaze if you’re looking for an extra hit of citrus. They’re perfect with a cup of tea, popped into a lunchbox or wrapped up as a thoughtful homemade gift.

How to Store Lemon Shortbread

Store your lemon shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. It also freezes well for up to three months, making it ideal if you like to bake ahead.

If you’re already a fan of my original shortbread recipe, I think you’ll love this lemon version just as much. It’s every bit as buttery and crumbly as the classic, but the fresh lemon gives it a lovely lightness that’s perfect all year round.

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