Lemon Curd Cookies

A soft gluten-free lemon curd cookie with a zesty yellow center and dusted in sugar.

5 from 2 votes

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 easily dairy free (vegan)! They’re a definite must try if you love lemon!

Prep Time25

Cook Time12

Cool Time15

Total Time52

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

For the Eggless Lemon Curd

½ cup granulated sugar
2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch
1 pinch kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
⅔ cup lemon juice (from about 3.5 medium lemons)
1 ¼ cups milk
3 pinches turmeric (optional for color)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick

For the Lemon Cookies

2.5 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar , plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
¼ cup milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Eggless Lemon Curd

Wash and dry all 6 lemons. Take a zester and zest 4 lemons.
There should be 4 tablespoons of zest. If there is not, zest another lemon.
Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.
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 lemon. Keep 2 tablespoons separate.
Add the ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch (26 grams), 1 pinch kosher salt to a medium pan and whisk to combine.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons lemon zest, ⅔ cup lemon juice and 1 ¼ cups milk.
Set pan over medium heat. Whisking the entire time, add the 3 pinches of turmeric if desired and 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 3 tablespoons butter.
Pour the lemon curd through a mesh colander into a heat safe bowl and set aside to cool, stirring periodically.
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.

Make the Lemon Cookies

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk together the 2.5 cups flour, ½ cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a bowl.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick until it is soft and creamy.
Add in ¼ cup confectioners' sugar and beat together until creamy; about 2 minutes.
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.
On low speed, beat in the gluten free flour mixture and ¼ cup milk, alternating and starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Mix until a dough forms.
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 the dough balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
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.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes

Vegan: Use a dairy free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks and non-dairy milk.

All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 2.5 packed cups of regular flour (420 grams). Still chill the dough.

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.

Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Nutrition