Lemon poppy seeds cookies. Deliciously crumbly, perfectly lemony and speckled with poppy seeds inside and out. Made with ground almonds and spelt flour, these buttery shortbread cookies have just the right amount of sweetness, without being too sweet. And the best thing about them is that they are incredibly easy to make AND everyone loves them (even if my favourite Schwabe thinks they look like sliced aubergine)!
Easy, no-stress poppyseed cookies
If you are familiar with my Lemon Butter Cookies recipe, then I’m pretty sure you’re going to be a fan of these. This is another recipe for “no-stress” cookies, as they are super simple to make. And what I particularly love about them is that you can prepare the dough ahead of time. Then, once you are ready to bake them, all you need to do is slice the cookies into rounds and then pop them in the oven. All of which takes 5 minutes of prep, and 15 minutes of baking. So easy!
How to make Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread cookies
Prepare the cookie dough.
You first need to beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and fluffy. I like to use powdered sugar as it is silky smooth and helps create a melt in your mouth shortbread cookie. Then we add the ground almonds, poppy seeds and lemon juice. And finally the flour. And since we are using spelt flour for this recipe, it should be added last, so that it does get overworked, since it has a sensitive gluten structure.
Shape and chill.
Shaping the cookie dough into a log form is what makes this cookies recipe so easy. No rolling dough or cutting out shapes. Simply wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm.
Slice and bake.
Slice the cookie dough into rounds, then bake on parchment lined baking sheets until lightly golden. Let cool slightly and sprinkle with a little more powdered sugar.
Then, enjoy this perfect make-ahead-cookie!
Looking for more cookies with lemon, then try one of these delicious cookie recipes!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
- 225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 80 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 75 g blanched almond meal
- 70 g poppy seeds, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 250 g white spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- extra powdered sugar, for dusting the cookies (optional)
Method
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Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the ground almonds, 2 tablespoons of the poppy seeds and the lemon juice. Continue mixing until well blended. Scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
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On low speed, add the flour and salt and beat until a dough forms, about 1 minute. Do not overmix!
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Divide dough in half. On a sheet of parchment paper, shape each half into a log (about 5cm in diameter). Brush each log with egg (avoiding the ends).
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Lay-out three sheets of plastic wrap. Sprinkle the remaining poppy seeds across the middle of one sheet.
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Roll each log in poppy seeds to coat. Transfer to a fresh piece of plastic and wrap well. Chill dough for 2 hours or until firm. TIP: You can also prepare up to three days in advance.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C (165°C air assisted) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
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Cut each log into ca. 0,5 cm thick slices and place on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2-2,5cm space between each cookie.
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Bake in the middle and upper third of oven, switching the baking sheets halfway through, for 14-15 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. (Alternatively, bake in two batches in the middle of the oven, slicing the logs just before they go in the oven, so that they stay cold).
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Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely (they will crisp up as they cool). Dust cookies with additional powdered sugar, if desired.
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Stored in an airtight container, cookies will keep up to 5 days.
Notes
- I prefer to use blanched almond meal for this recipe as they have a finer consistency and are lighter in color, which looks better for this particular cookie recipe. We eat with our eyes!
- If desired, feel free to add a little lemon zest to these cookies for extra lemony flavor. Though, be sure to avoid the white pith, otherwise the cookies will be bitter.
- Freeze the poppyseed coated dough, sealed in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to a month. To bake, stand at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to slicing and baking.
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