These lemon butter cookies have got to be the easiest Christmas cookie I have ever prepared. There is no kneading involved, no cutting out shapes, all that’s required is simply combining a a few simple ingredients together, chill, slice and bake. These cookies have a shortbread-like texture, are lightly sweet, have just the right amount of lemon flavour and taste wonderful! If you like lemon, you will definitely love these . All of this adds up to a cookie that you’ll want to make again and again.
Lemon butter cookies are so easy to make!
These no-stress cookies are great at Christmas time, with all that is going one, the dough is easy to prepare the night before, then all you need to do is slice and bake the cookies the next day. So that’s about 10 minutes on day one, then just 20 minutes that next day (that is if you are watching your cookies bake!). And because they are so well loved, they are great to enjoy all year round, and I think also be especially nice to bake up and have around for Easter.
Looking for other simple cookie recipes?
Here are some of my other favourite cookies recipes with lemon and a couple others simple to bake favourites!
Lemon Butter Cookies (Simple Recipe!)
A really simple recipe for lemon butter cookies made with spelt flour. Perfect for Christmas, Easter or as anytime treat.
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 50 g icing sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (no white pith!)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup spelt flour (type 630) (130 g)
- 3 tablespoons arrow root powder (or cornstarch)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
To garnish:
- icing sugar
Method
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Add butter, icing sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, then turn the mixer to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the lemon juice and egg yolk. Mix to combine.
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Reduce the speed to low, then add the flour, arrow root powder, and salt and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
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Divide the dough into 2 pieces and set each piece on a length of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the sticky dough, and use your hands to form it into a cylinder (like a sausage) about 4 cm in circumference (don’t worry if it isn’t perfect)! Chill the dough until completely firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
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When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Slice the dough into rounds ca. 0,5 cm thick and arrange them at least a few cm apart on the prepared baking sheets.
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Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway though. The cookies should be golden around the edges, but not brown all of the way through.
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Set the pans on cooling racks and cool for a 2-3 minutes, then using a sifter dust both sides of the warm cookies with icing sugar.
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Let the cookies cool completely, then store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
- I like these cookies baked until they are just starting to brown around the edges, so that are still a little soft in the middle. My liebste Schwabe prefers when I bake them until a little more golden brown so they are crisper. Either way they taste fantastic are are always gone within a day!
- If you don't have a food processor/stand mixer that is also fine. I have tested these using a handheld mixer and they work out great as well. I use the standard attachments for beating the butter and then switch to the bread kneader attachments when incorporating the Dinkelmehl.
- This simple recipe for lemon butter cookies is adapted from a recipe published in the New York Times from a Yossy Arefi and have since become one of my families favourites!
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