Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

By Robin Gagnon | Updated on

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Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies are a delightful bright addition to any cookie platter. They make a lovely contrast against chocolate and heavier drop style cookies. I'm sharing this lightly sweetand nutty lemon shortbread cookies recipe with you today, so you can enjoy them too.

The combination of walnuts and Meyer lemon is a dessert favorite of mine and one my daughter seems to have inherited as well. I have a Walnut Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake recipe I'll be sharing next week. For me anyway, the rich meatiness of chopped walnuts are the perfect foil against the fragrance and tangy flavor of fresh Meyer lemons. This this shortbread cookie, these two flavors are certainly the stars.

Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe Preparation

These delightfully nutty lemon shortbread cookies are quite easy to make. You just need a little patience letting them chill before cutting, so you will have nice medallions. Full recipe below.

After mixing and lightly kneading the dough, it is split into two logs and refrigerated to firm up.

The Walnut Meyer Lemon shortbread cookie dough is carefully sliced and placed on parchment for baking.

The cookies stay true to their original shape during baking, just cool before serving or packing to give as gifts.

Walnut Meyer Lemon Cookies pair wonderfully with tea, but I have been enjoying them with coffee myself.

Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe (6)

Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Elegant Walnut Meyer Lemon Cookies are perfect with afternoon tea... or anytime.

4.27 from 56 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Prep Time: 3 hours hours

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Servings: 30

Calories: 85kcal

Author: Robin Gagnon

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • cup confectionery sugar
  • 2 tbs fresh Meyer lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • zest of 2 Meyer lemons
  • 2 cups flour
  • cup finely chopped walnuts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cream together the butter and sugar.

  • In a small separate bowl mix salt in lemon juice to dissolve then add to butter mixture along with the zest, and mix.

  • Add the flour and mix well, then fold in the walnuts as best you can.

  • Knead the dough lightly, enough to evenly distribute the walnuts, then split in half and roll into two logs about 2 inches thick. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 ½ to 3 hours to firm up.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • Cut each cookie dough log into slices about ⅜" thick. Arrange on parchment. These shortbread cookies will not expand much at all, but leave a little space between them.

  • Bake for 11-12 minutes, then remove to rack to cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.5mg


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sonja says

    My husband and I just received a letterbox of fresh picked Meyer Lemons! Of course I my mind went racing and my husband he it was time to go golfing and leave me to my lemon dreams.
    I immediately went hunting on the web for anything an everything Meyer Lemon. That's when I found this recipe!
    I followed the recipe the T and they were everything I hoped they would be! My whole family has a new favorite!
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Robin Gagnon says

      I am so glad. These shortbread cookies are a favorite of mine.

      Reply

  2. Allison says

    I found the recipe too crumbly the first time. Added a tablespoon of vodka, and now they are perf.

    Reply

    • jgp says

      Why Vodka?

      Reply

      • Robin Gagnon says

        This is actually a trick many bakers use to make dough easier to work. It evaporates faster than water, and the alcohol dissipates. While, I didn't have trouble with this shortbread dough, it is a good hack should you run into this issue on this recipe or in the future. I've done it with pie crust to reduce fat, yet maintain flakiness.

        Reply

        • Jgp says

          Thank you!

  3. Sarah says

    These aren't bad but I wouldn't make them as is ever again as written. The one thing I changed was I toasted the walnuts, I always toast my nuts, it just makes them taste nuttier.

    At least for my husband and I these are just too sharply sweet, I'm pretty sure the powdered sugar is to blame for that. I get the point of using it for these cookies as they'll easily meld into the dough, but it just gives them a slightly off and kind of floury/Dusty flavor, and no my powdered sugar isn't old. With the mention of them being lightly sweet my husband and I were shocked at how sweet they tasted.

    I think they need a little depth, I'd personally remove some of the powdered sugar and add a little brown sugar. Or replace it entirely with some Demerara run through a coffee grinder to give it a similar texture to powdered sugar. That would give the cookies the slight.... roundness they're missing and hopefully better balance the sharpness.

    To Make these more eatable for my husband and I grabbed some Meyer lemon glaze I already have and have them a very thin coating and that made them much better.

    If you are looking for a slightly flavored shortbread you can dunk, they would probably be fine, minus a touch of the sugar. For us that was the biggest issue.

    This is just my opinion, I do bake a lot and make a decent amount of shortbread, but your mileage may vary.

    Reply

  4. jgp says

    Can the rolls be frozen for use at a later time when Meyer lemons aren't available?

    Reply

    • Robin Gagnon says

      Yes. I have frozen logs of shortbread dough often. A full batch is too much to have around for my small family.

      Reply

  5. Liz says

    I would have never thought of using this combination of ingredients, but your recipe intrigued me! I love shortbread and this was a fabulous recipe! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  6. Beth says

    Made these last weekend. I was so lucky to run into some Meyer lemons at my favorite grocery store! The cookies were delicious!! We love shortbread cookies!!

    Reply

  7. FWM says

    One star is a compliment. One of the worst tasting things I have ever made (and I'm a good baker). Even used fresh Meyer lemons (went out of my way to find them). Salty and bitter. Threw them out. Never again.

    Reply

  8. Patti says

    Super easy to make. I had two meyer lemons to use up from a small tree I am growing. I am at higher elevation ( high desert) so i added in a bit more lemon juice as the water content in my flour is low and if anything my doughs are more on the dry side.
    Very tasty - perfect amount of tart lemon to sweet ratio. I took the advice of FWM and used 1/4 tsp salt ( the 3/4 did seem like a lot ) and just slightly less walnuts ( personal preference - not a nut fan in my sweets ) and they turned out great. The only odd thing is I had to bake them for twice the recommended bake time ( around 22 - 23 minutes ). At the 11 minute mark they were still soft and not cooked at all. The kitchen did not start to smell like baking cookies until at least 18 minutes in. I cut them the recommended thickness. Shrug. Thanks for a great easy recipe.

    Reply

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Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a butter cookie and shortbread cookie? ›

Due to differing ratios, shortbread cookies are crumblier and more "sandy" than butter cookies, which are firm and solid enough to be iced. This mostly has to do with flour and eggs. Shortbread doesn't use eggs, while butter cookies do, making butter cookie dough more pliable and robust than its shortbread counterpart.

Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread cookies? ›

Cornstarch provides the shortbread with structure, but its biggest job is keeping the cookies extra soft, tender, and light. I love adding a small amount to chocolate chip cookies too. Optional Coarse Sugar Topping: For an optional sparkly crunch on your shortbread wedges, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? ›

It comes from using a high proportion of fat (or shortening) to flour and is also where shortcrust pastry gets its name. Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? Chilling the dough before baking will help the shortbread keep their shape while cooking.

Why did my shortbread turn out chewy? ›

Undercooked shortbread will be doughy and chewy. Slightly overcooked and it will become chalky, brittle and hard. Is shortbread supposed to be soft when it comes out of the oven? Yes, upon cooling it will firm up.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

What is the difference between Scottish shortbread and regular shortbread? ›

Traditional Scottish shortbread is a simple recipe made with sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Other shortbread styles will include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes them crisp instead of crumbly like traditional Scottish shortbread.

What is the secret to good shortbread? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  • Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  • Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  • Add Flavor. ...
  • Don't Overwork. ...
  • Shape Dough. ...
  • Chill Before Baking. ...
  • Bake Until Golden. ...
  • Add Finishing Touches.

What happens if you add too much butter to shortbread cookies? ›

Butter is an emulsifier and it makes cookies tender. It also adds in the crispy-around-the-edges element. Adding too much butter can cause the cookies to be flat and greasy. Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly.

Do you cut shortbread before or after baking? ›

Remove the shortbread from the oven and turn it out of the pans and onto a clean work surface. Immediately cut the shortbread, while it's warm; if you wait until it's cool, it won't cut easily. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut each round into 12 wedges.

Why poke holes in shortbread? ›

The word "bread" comes from "biscuit bread" which was made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out in the oven to make biscuits. Why do you poke holes in shortbread? The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.

How to tell when shortbread is done? ›

Since you will be cooking your shortbread in the lower third of the oven, you will get some top browning as the cookie bakes. The surface of the shortbread should be a toasty light brown when it is cooked. It should never appear raw or slightly opaque in the middle.

What will happen if I use salted butter instead of unsalted? ›

When using salted butter in baking, it's important to keep in mind that it may impact the final taste of the product as it contains added salt. It's recommended to either reduce the amount of salt in the recipe by a 1/4 teaspoon or omit it completely. The amount of butter used in the recipe should not be changed.

What happens if you don't chill shortbread dough? ›

You need to chill your dough before baking. As in once you place the dough on the baking sheet, you need to chill the dough in your fridge for Atleast an hour before baking. It will make a huge difference ESPECIALLY because your cookies are clearly heavy on the butter. They will come out flat, delicate and crispy.

Can you over mix shortbread? ›

It's important to avoid over-mixing shortbread dough, which will develop gluten and make the finished product tough, not tender. To make sure that the flour mixes completely with little effort, sift the flour first to get out all of the lumps.

Can you put undercooked shortbread back in the oven? ›

Problem eight: Once cooled, if I know my biscuits are underbaked can I put them back in the oven? Jo's solution: You can. Also, if you don't eat shortbread within a few days and they go soft, you can refresh them in the oven, too.

What defines a shortbread cookie? ›

In simple terms, shortbread is a type of cookie classified by its high butter content. It is named shortbread due to its short, or crumbly, structure—which is caused by the high proportion of fat. The traditional recipe, developed in Scotland, consists of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.

Are chessmen butter cookies shortbread? ›

What makes Pepperidge Farms' Chessmen cookies so addictive? - Quora. They are shortbread cookies and shortbread is made with an arcane type of magic that makes you want to inhale them and go back for more. Probably all that creamy rich butter And vanilla…

What is another name for a butter cookie? ›

Butter cookies, also known as Danish butter cookies, are cookies originating in Denmark consisting of butter, flour, and sugar. They are similar to shortbread cookies.

Why is it called all butter shortbread? ›

Shortbread is called short because of the traditional ratio of one part sugar to two parts butter that lends a high fat content to the dough. This yields a soft, buttery crumb that melts in your mouth, similar to short crust pastry. This ratio is also what makes shortbread so crave-worthy. 2.

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