These soft and tender Meyer lemon vanilla shortbread cookies have a mild lemon and vanilla flavor. They are perfect for an after school treat or with afternoon tea.
Welcome to #LemonWeek 2022 hosted by Lynn from Fresh April Flours and Rebecca from Devour Dinner. This week is sponsored by Rodelle and La Tourangelle. I received product samples from these sponsors to help in the creation of my recipes. All opinions are my own. Come join me and my fellow Lemon Week bloggers as we bring you recipes from appetizers to drinks to entrées and desserts!
These lemon vanilla cookies are a little softer and more airy and cake-like than your typical shortbread cookie. They contain some cream and baking soda, which is unusual for a shortbread. Maybe I shouldn't call them a shortbread, yet, they're not really a sugar cookie either. They're like little soft pillows!
How to Make These Meyer Lemon Vanilla Shortbread Cookies:
First, mash together granulated sugar and lemon zest with the back of a spoon or your fingers until the sugar is yellow and fully flavored from the zest.
Next, beat flour, butter, salt, and baking soda together on low in a mixer with the paddle attachment until you have a mixture that looks like cornmeal.
After that, add the sugar and zest mixture, the vanilla, and the cream and mix on low until the dough just begins to clump together. Gather the dough together, pat it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into a log that is one inch in circumference (either a square or a round) and wrap it with plastic wrap. Freeze the log for at least an hour. When ready to bake, slice the dough into 1/2 inch rounds or squares.
Finally, sprinkle the dough rounds with sparkling sugar and bake for about 10 minutes.
Tips for Making These Meyer Lemon Vanilla Shortbread Cookies:
You will need a lot of lemon zest. I've made several batches of these cookies, some with Meyer lemon zest, and some with "regular" lemon zest. The cookies with Meyer lemon zest turn out more yellow in color, but either way, the cookies are delicious.
I will tell you that this recipe creates a lot of naked lemons.....
You can freeze the juice from these lemons for later to use for lemonade, a cocktail, or even lemony roasted chicken.
Use cold butter and cut it into small cubes before combining it with the flour to creat a crumbly mix. The mixture should look like cornmeal. The butter doesn't have to be ice cold, but it shouldn't be too soft. If you decide to use salted butter, you can skip the salt in the recipe.
I sprinkled the tops of these cookies before baking with white sparkling sugar. You don't have to brush the tops of the dough with an egg wash or press the sugar into the dough because the sugar will melt a bit into the cookies while the cookies are baking.
Shortbread or not (you be the judge), there is so much to love about these cookies! From their cake-like texture to their lemony vanilla flavor, they were a huge hit with everyone who tried them.
Store these cookies at room temperature for up to seven days. You can also freeze them, tightly wrapped, for up to a month.
More Tips for Baking These Cookies:
You will need to bake these cookies in three batches. I like to bake them one sheet at a time rather than switching the pans in the oven halfway through.
To do this, I prepared a half sheet pan with parchment paper and cut the dough into all of the squares before beginning the baking process and kept the cut dough waiting in the refrigerator while baking each batch.
Instead of using multiple baking sheets and sheets of parchment paper, I transferred the baked cookies to a cooling rack and then, after about five to ten minutes, to cool the baking sheet right away in order to reuse it, I set it on my granite countertop. It always makes me nervous, but it works like a charm. The baking sheet cools so much faster.
Welcome to Lemon Week! We are sharing recipes, sweet and savory, starring lemon.
***After the recipe, be sure to check out the prizes you can win, including gourmet vanillas and other extracts from Rodelle (have you priced good vanilla lately?) and handcrafted oils from La Tourangelle. Today is the last day!
Friday #LemonWeek Recipes
- Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls by Fresh April Flours
- Grilled Chicken Piccata by Palatable Pastime
- Creamy Lemon Smoothie Recipe by Blogghetti
- Gluten Free Lemon Bars by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Lemon Tarragon Salmon by Art Of Natural Living
- Lemon Poppy Seed Thumb Print Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Lemon Pasta by Devour Dinner
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies by Best Cookie Recipes
- Lemon Tea Bread by The Freshman Cook
- Homemade Lemon Cake by Simply Inspired Meals
- Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake by The Fresh Cooky
- Lemony Shrimp Pasta by A Day In The Life On The Farm
- Rosemary Watermelon Lemonade by The Spiffy Cookie
- Lemon Crumb Muffins with Lemon Glaze by An Affair From The Heart
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cake by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
- Lemon Ice Cream by Lemon Blossoms
- Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake by Home Cooked Harvest
- Grilled Lemon Herb Flatbread by That Recipe
- Lemon Meringue Cheesecake by The Redhead Baker
- Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken and Gnocchi by Jonesin’ For A Taste
- Dragonfruit Lemonade by Magical Ingredients
Recipe originally published August, 2013 and updated May, 2022.
Meyer Lemon Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients
- 141 grams (5 ounces/3/4 cup) sugar
- 2 tablespoons lightly packed lemon zest
- 283 grams (10 ounces/2 cups) all purpose flour
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Sparkling sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Stir the lemon zest and sugar together in a small bowl, using the back of the spoon to rub the two ingredients together. Make sure they are fully combined.
- Combine the flour, butter, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the paddle attachment on low until you have a mixture that resembles corn meal.
- Add the cream, lemon sugar, and vanilla until just combined. Don't over mix.
- Roll the dough into a log that is one inch in circumference and wrap it with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the log into 1/2 inch rounds and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Place any dough that doesn't fit back into the freezer to bake after the first sheet is done.
- Sprinkle the cookies with sparkling sugar (if you don't have it, regular sugar will do just fine) and bake, one sheet at a time, 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Bake and cool the second group of cookies as you did the first.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
72.86Fat (grams)
4.49Sat. Fat (grams)
2.81Carbs (grams)
7.62Fiber (grams)
0.19Net carbs
7.43Sugar (grams)
3.2Protein (grams)
0.69Sodium (milligrams)
30.49Cholesterol (grams)
12.04Check out the amazing prizes you can win in our #LemonWeek Giveaway!
Prize #1: Rodelle Prize Pack
Rodelle Prize Pack includes:
- 2 count Gourmet Madagascar Vanilla Beans
- 2oz Almond Extract
- 4oz Natural Baker’s Extract
- 4oz Vanilla Paste
- 8oz Gourmet Vanilla Extract
- 25oz Organic Baking Cocoa

Prize #2: La Tourangelle Prize Pack
La Tourangelle Prize Pack includes:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Roasted Walnut Oil
- Regenerative Sunflower Oil
- 4oz Vanilla Paste
- Fleur de Sel Almond Butter

Terms and conditions: This #LemonWeek is sponsored by Rodelle and La Tourangelle which starts 5/23/2022 and ends 6/3/2022 at 11:59pm ET. Enter to win a prize pack from Rodelle or La Tourangelle that include baking and cooking ingredients. This giveaway is open to anyone 18 years or older in the United States. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Two (2) winners will be selected and sent prize packages directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #LemonWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #LemonWeek posts or entry.
Weeeeellllll, the baking soda needs acid to work, so the citrus helps with that. Aaaaaaaand cream makes EVERYTHING better. So, you're right.
ReplyDeleteConsider yourself an expert.
I knew you'd have the answer!
DeleteSuch a shame that meyer lemons are not available here, and if they are I´ve yet to find them. It does look more airy Karen, and very yummy!
ReplyDeletePaula, I think in this case, any lemon would be fine. If you want to create the flavor, mix lemon and orange (mostly lemon) rind. Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons.
DeleteKaren, I made these today to go into my Christmas cookie box and they were a disaster. Even after several hours in the freezer they melted into each other in the oven and were just crumbs. Help! What went wrong?
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear that! Did you use parchment paper? That's the only thing I can think of. I also used King Arthur all purpose flour. I'm really sorry!
DeleteJust figured it out. :blush: I put in a pound of butter instead of a cup. I will try to salvage the rest of the dough by adding more flour. Thankfully it is still in the freezer.
DeleteOh phew! Yay. That's double the butter!
DeleteApprox how many cookies does this make, Karen?
ReplyDeleteAbout 42.
DeleteI love shortbread, these look so yummy!
ReplyDeleteShortbread are my favorite, mixed with oodles of Meyer lemon zest -- top of the pack! These look perfect crunch and delish!
ReplyDeleteYou know I"m a sucker for shortbread. These have my name all over them.
ReplyDeleteThese lemon cookies look light as air and very poppable!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving all of your shortbread cookies! These look incredible and I love ho they have a refreshing lemon flavor. Perfect with morning coffee :)
ReplyDeleteI love shortbread cookies! They're a totally underrated cookie.
ReplyDeleteThese cookies look great! Shortbread cookies are so easy to make! I love that you added lemon!
ReplyDeleteThese lemon vanilla cookies sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteLemon in shortbread cookies is perfect
ReplyDeleteI love shortbread. You're enabling me to make these, you know.
ReplyDeleteShortbread bites are so much fun!
ReplyDeleteLemon Shortbread sounds refreshingly delicious!
ReplyDeleteShort bread cookies are my favorite ones and your lemon version hits the right spot for me! YUM!
ReplyDelete