Description
These Lemon Curd Cookies are delightful thumbprint treats featuring a buttery, soft cookie base filled with a tangy and sweet lemon curd center. Perfect for citrus lovers, they offer a balance of rich vanilla and zesty lemon flavors, making them an irresistible dessert or snack. Easy to prepare and bake, these cookies are ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup lemon curd (store-bought or homemade)
Optional Topping
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg Yolk and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg yolk and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture, blending thoroughly until smooth and combined to enhance flavor and richness.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until a soft dough forms without overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop out approximately 1-inch balls of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Create Indents: Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, gently press an indent into the center of each cookie ball, ensuring the indentation is deep enough to hold the lemon curd without breaking through.
- Fill with Lemon Curd: Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd into each cookie indent carefully, distributing evenly for consistent flavor in every bite.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating they’re perfectly cooked.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps them firm up without breaking.
- Optional Dusting: Once the cookies are completely cooled, dust them lightly with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness and an attractive finish.
Notes
- If the dough feels too soft to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before shaping to make it easier to work with.
- For enhanced citrus flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough during mixing.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will keep well for up to 5 days, maintaining freshness and flavor.
