Lemon Curd Cookies

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These Lemon Curd Cookies are buttery, sweet and tangy lemon shortbread cookies that are dusted with confectioners' sugar and filled with an eggless lemon curd! They're like little bites of sunshine! This recipe makes almost 3 dozen bite-sized cookies so they're perfect for a party! Best part is they’re gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)! They’re a definite must try if you love lemon!

Mini eggless lemon curd cookies on parchment paper with slices of lemon coated in confectioners’s sugar.

These Lemon Curd Cookies are little sweet and tangy delights! I love this lemon dessert so so much; there’s nothing better than biting into a buttery cookie and meeting a nice lemony gooey center. This lemon shortbread cookies recipe is naturally egg free, so no cornstarch slurry is needed in the dough! In addition, it makes 34 little cookies; the perfect amount for a party or bake sale! They're even amazing for so many holidays, including Easter, Mother's Day and even Christmas!

For more lemon cookies, check out my Lemon Shortbread Cookies, my Lemon Sugar Cookies , my Lemon Raspberry Cookies and my Lemon Blueberry Cookies!

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Reasons to Love These Lemon Curd Cookies
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Lemon Curd Cookies
Expert Baking Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Lemon Dessert Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Lemon Curd Cookies

Reasons to Love These Lemon Curd Cookies

Allergy Friendly- These lemon cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
Crumbly Texture- The insides of these cookies are crumbly yet tender and soft! They melt in your mouth just like my Orange Shortbread Cookies!
Loaded with Lemon- These lemon cookies have lemon juice and lemon zest in the dough and are filled with a creamy eggless lemon curd!

Ingredient Notes

lemon curd cookies ingredients in separate containers: granulated sugar, lemons, multipurpose gluten free flour, confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, kosher salt, and turmeric.

Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
Confectioners' Sugar- This recipe calls for confectioners' sugar instead of granulated in the dough, because it helps to keep the shortbread-like dough super soft and light! In addition, it prevents the cookies from spreading because we want them to remain in a little snowball shape so we can press them down after baking.
Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Do not use melted or softened; the cookies will spread into a giant mess while baking. If using vegan butter, make sure to use only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature. We also need 3 tablespoons for the lemon curd.
Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
Lemons- Please only use fresh squeezed lemon juice. Prepackaged lemon juice can result in the cookies and lemon curd having a chemical taste. We need a total of 6 medium lemons for the juice and zest combined.
Turmeric- We use this to make the lemon curd have that stunning yellow color but you can feel free to leave it out. keep in mind that your curd will be a very pale yellow without it.

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

How to Make these into Vegan Lemon Cookies

Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
Only use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
If using store bought lemon curd, make sure it's vegan and gluten free.

Make these Gluten Free Lemon Cookies with All Purpose Flour

Use 2 ½ packed cups of regular flour (420 grams).
You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.

This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!

How to Make Lemon Curd Cookies

Here are the step by step instructions to make these lemon cookies!

Step 1: Zest the Lemons

Wash and dry all 6 lemons. Take a zester and zest 4 lemons. Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.

Step 2: Juice the Lemons

Take 5 lemons, cut them in half and juice 4.5 of them. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside.

There should be about ⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons of juice. If there isn't enough, juice the other half of the lemon. Keep 2 tablespoons separate.

Step 3: Make the Eggless Lemon Curd

Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, kosher salt and turmeric to a medium pan and whisk to combine.

Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and milk.

Set pan over medium heat. Whisking the entire time, bring the curd to a boil. Once boiling, continue to whisk and boil for one minute. Then immediately remove from the heat and stir in the butter.

Pour through a mesh colander into a heat safe bowl and set aside to cool. Once room temperature, cover and put in the fridge.

You want the lemon curd thick and cool when you assemble the cookies. Make sure it is made ahead of time and is cold from being in the fridge.

Step 4: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, ½ cup confectioners' sugar and salt. Set aside.

creamed butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl.

Step 5: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is soft and creamy.

Add in the remaining ¼ cup confectioners' sugar and beat together until creamy; about 2 minutes.

mixing the other wet ingredients into the butter.

Step 6: Add in the Other Wet Ingredients

Slowly beat the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest into the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on low speed until it starts to combine then increase the speed to whip into a creamy consistency.

mixing the wet and dry ingredients into a lemon curd cookie dough.

Step 7: Add in the Dry Ingredients, Milk and Chill

On low speed, slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture and milk, alternating and starting and ending with the flour mixture.

rolling the dough into individual little balls.

Step 8: Roll the Dough into Balls and Chill

Break off a 1 inch piece of dough. Work it back and forth in your hands until smooth and then roll into a 1 inch ball.

Then chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

bright, yellow-centered, mini lemon curd cookies dusted with sweet confectioners' sugar amongst slices of fresh lemon.

Step 9: Bake, Dust with Sugar and Fill with Lemon Curd

Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully press the end of a wooden spoon handle into the center of each ball to create a dent.

Continue to bake for an additional 6 minutes. Repeat making the hole with the back of the wooden spoon once removed from the oven. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.

Dust completely cool cookies with confectioners’ sugar, spoon the eggless lemon curd into the indents and serve.

Expert Baking Tips

Use Real Lemons- This is to prevent the cookies and curd from having a chemical taste with store bought.
Keep the Lemon Zest Airtight- If you leave it uncovered and not in a bowl covered in plastic wrap, it will dry out and become crunchy.
Make the Lemon Curd First- Either make the lemon curd before you begin making the cookies or make it the night before. The curd needs to be at least room temperature before you fill the cookies with it. If making it the night before, store it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, in the fridge.
Use Turmeric in the Curd- If you want the lemon curd to be yellow, use 3 pinches of turmeric. If you want to omit it, that's fine! Just keep in mind the curd will be a very very pale yellow.
Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape and prevent them from falling apart. Or read the gram measurement.
Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess. We want them to remain a little ball shape. As I mentioned earlier, if you're using vegan butter, only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature.
Chill the Dough Balls- Roll the dough into one inch balls and refrigerate them for at least 10-15 minutes prior to baking.
Cool the Cookies- Once the cookies have completely cooled, dust them with confectioners’ sugar and then pour the Eggless Lemon Curd into each hole with a tiny spoon.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make the lemon cookie dough in advance?

Yes! You can make the dough the night before. Shape the dough into a thick disc, wrap it in plastic and keep it in the fridge.

If doing this, let the dough sit on the counter prior to baking until it is soft enough to roll into balls.

Or you can wrap the dough in plastic, pop it in a zip top bag and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using and then once again, let come to almost room temperature prior to baking.

Or you can shape the dough into balls and freeze them for up to 30 days.

Can I make the Lemon Curd Cookies the day before?

If making them ahead of time, bake them no earlier than the night before. Do not dust with sugar and do not fill them with the lemon curd.

Store the unfilled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. When ready to serve, dust with confectioners' sugar and fill with the lemon curd.

Once filled with curd they must be stored in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Are these shortbread cookies?

These cookies have a base that is very similar to a shortbread cookie base, however these contain milk and shortbread cookies don't.

I add the milk so it is a bit easier to make the dents without the cookies cracking everywhere. It makes the cookies a bit smoother which I like for the curd.

For a true shortbread lemon cookie, check out my Lemon Shortbread Cookies.

How do I store these Lemon Curd Cookies?

Storing: Store unfilled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store sugar dusted and curd filled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Let the cookies come to room temperature prior to eating as these cookies have a shortbread-like base and tend to get hard when cold.

Freezing: You can wrap the dough in plastic, pop in a zip top bag and freeze for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using and then once again, let come to almost room temperature prior to baking.

Or you can shape the dough balls without and freeze them for up to 30 days.