Description
These Vegan Lemon Curd Shortbread Cookies are bright, lemony, and cozy, perfect for springtime snacking.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd
- 1/2 cup Fresh lemon juice (Use fresh lemons for best flavor.)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest (Zest before juicing.)
- 1/2 cup Organic cane sugar (Balances the tartness of the lemons.)
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (For thickening the curd.)
- 1 tablespoon Vegan butter (Preferably firm, not tub butter.)
- 1 splash Plant milk (Optional, for smoothing.)
For the Shortbread Cookies
- 1/2 cup Vegan butter (Should be at cool room temperature.)
- 1/4 cup Organic cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest (Add for flavor.)
- 1 cup Gluten-free flour blend (A 1-to-1 blend is best.)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (To enhance flavors.)
- 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum (Only if your flour blend doesn’t contain it.)
- Powdered sugar for dusting Powdered sugar (For finishing and decoration.)
Instructions
Preparing the Lemon Curd Filling
- In a small saucepan, whisk sugar and cornstarch together to avoid lumps.
- Add lemon juice and zest, then cook on medium heat, whisking often until thickened.
- Once it coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat and stir in vegan butter until glossy.
- Chill in the fridge to firm up before using.
Mixing & Shaping the Shortbread Dough
- Cream vegan butter and cane sugar until fluffy.
- Mix in lemon zest and a splash of vanilla extract, if desired.
- Add gluten-free flour blend and a pinch of salt, then mix until dough is soft but not sticky.
- If the dough is sticky, chill for 20-30 minutes.
- Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper and cut into desired shapes.
Assembling the Cookies
- Once cooled, spread or pipe lemon curd onto one cookie and place another on top.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until pale with golden edges.
- Chill cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking for cleaner edges.
- Allow cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
These cookies are best enjoyed fresh, ideally the first two days. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. For freezing, store plain cookies and fill with curd after thawing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snacks
- Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan