I shared this recipe over at Lil’ Luna a few weeks ago and I think it’s one you’re really going to love! One of my favorite family recipes is my Grandma Carol’s lemon bars. They’re perfect in every way and everyone loves them! The only problem is that they take quite a bit of time to make and they tend to get a bit messy when you’re trying to plate them up. So I thought that I’d skip the mess and make a Grandma Carol inspired treat for you! These thumbprints were just what I was hoping for- buttery, flakey and full of zesty lemon flavor. I dusted them with powdered sugar and filled them with a dollop of chilled curd. These little cookies taste just like lemon bars- so delicious! Since Meyer lemons are always abundant around Christmas I used them, but if you can’t seem to find any, you can always use regular lemons (the curd will be slightly more tart). To cut down on the prep time I decided to make the curd in the microwave instead of on the stovetop. Trust me, there’s nothing worse then spending half an hour whisking curd over a hot stove- so to save yourself some time and give the microwave method a try, I think you’re gonna like it!
Lemon Curd Cookies Recipe
Bright and zesty from real lemon juice and zest, Lemon Curd Cookies offer a light, smooth center that works well for warmer days, especially when spring baking calls for something citrusy.
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Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 140kcal
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 14 Tbsp (1 ¾ sticks) butter - room temperature
- 2 egg yolks
- zest of 1 Meyer lemon
- 2 tsp Meyer lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar - for dusting
Microwave Meyer Lemon Curd
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoon butter - melted
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
- zest of 1 Meyer lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- To make the lemon curd, in a large microwaveable bowl, combine the sugar, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Place the mixture into the microwave and cook for 1 minute at a time, whisking after each minute. You will need to do a total of 4–6 minutes, or until the curd coats the back of a spatula and has a gel-like texture. The time will depend on the strength of your microwave.
- Pour the hot curd through a mesh sieve to remove any “eggy” parts or curdled egg bits. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until the cookies have completely cooled.
- To make the cookies, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix just until incorporated. Add the salt, then, with mixing speed on low, gradually add the flour ½ cup at a time. Mix until incorporated.
- Roll the cookie dough into 1″ balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly pat down the cookie dough balls to flatten (just a little bit), then, using your thumb, press little wells into each. Place into the oven and bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled (30 minutes or so), use a mesh sieve to gently dust powdered sugar over each cookie. Place a dollop of chilled lemon curd in the center of each, then place in the refrigerator to set up. Serve and enjoy!
NOTES
STORE cooled cookies in the refrigerator once assembled, as the lemon curd requires chilling. Place them in a single layer or between parchment-lined layers in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for 4–5 days.
To FREEZE, leave off the powdered sugar and lemon curd, and store the baked cookie bases in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, dust, and fill with curd before serving. These cookies are best served chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
Adapted from redbookmag.com, Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
I made these cookies tonight for my Aunt’s Birthday Party (she loves lemon) and they turned out great! I don’t have a microwave, so I made the curd the old fashioned way on the stove 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!
The dough for the cookies is too dry to roll into balls. I followed the recipe exactly so I’m not sure what to do. Any suggestions?
Try adding 6 more tablespoons of butter… I may not have put the right amount up since I originally halved the recipe when I made it. Sorry about that!
So 20tbl.?
Sorry, 20 tablespoons of what?
Lemon curd in a microwave?! YES PLEASE! And I can totally get on board with these thumbprints. They look dangerously good!
These looks so great!