These buttery soft lemon thumbprint cookies are filled with homemade creamy lemon curd full of zesty flavour. These cookies are perfect for any special occasion and fairly simple to make.
What are lemon thumbprint cookies
Lemon curd thumbprint cookies are a delightful and zesty treat that is perfect for any special occasion. These soft and buttery lemon cookies made from scratch with a little well in the middle and are filled with a tangy lemon flavor curd in the centre. These cookies for sure make a perfect refreshing treat with the combination of lemon curd.
Whether you would like to make a sweet treat for an afternoon snack or a delicious dessert to serve at your next party, these thumbprint lemon curd cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. Let’s explore the simple yet delicious recipe for these irresistible little treats that will have you reaching for more!
If you love lemon cookies, you might also love GINGER LEMONADE or THE BEST LEMON POUND CAKE.
List of Ingredients
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR is the best suitable for this kind of cookies, because we want the soft buttery cookie. If you wish using a different kind of flour, for example gluten free, follow the instructions on the packaging on how to use this kind of flour as a substitute for all purpose flour.
- FINE GRANULATED SUGAR is perfect for quicker absorption into the butter. You can also use powdered sugar.
- SOFTENED BUTTER, must be unsalted and at room temperature for easier way to combine better all the ingredients together.
- EGG Y0LKS must be from large eggs, or if you are using egg yolks directly from carton, use 40 g approximately (reference: 1 large egg yolk has 20 grams).
- LEMON ZEST AND JUICE from fresh lemon. Use a medium size lemon to get 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and half of the lemon for 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- KOSHER SALT is preferable, then table salt. Just a pinch to bring all the flavours together.
- VANILLA EXTRACT OR LEMON EXTRACT is optional, if you wish to have more pronounces vanilla & lemon flavours, you may add 1/2 teaspoon or each. No more, because it will overpower the buttery flavour of the cookie.
Making Homemade Lemon Curd as filling for thumbprint cookies
Prefetably prepare homemade lemon curd as a filling for these cookies. I usually make homemade lemon curd in a batch and then use it for different filling. Best way is to prepare lemon curd a day before making lemon thumbprint cookies. The reason why, is because it requires a longer process than baking the cookies.
Lemon curd needs to cool before being used for filling the cookies, which requires more time.
But if you decide to skip this step of making homemade lemon curd, and use a store bought lemon curd, it’s perfectly fine. Some lemon curds, sold in pastry shops are excellent, and the quality is perfect, almost as homemade.
I have a complete recipe on my site, dedicated to only Homemade lemon curd, with all the detailed pictures and tips that you might need. This recipe makes 3 cups of lemon curd, and it’s more then you will need for lemon thumbprint cookies. So use the quantities written in recipe card below.
How to Create the Ultimate Lemon Thumbprint Cookies with lemon curd
Step 1 -Preparing the cookie dough
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add egg yolk and lemon juice, and mix until combined. Do not overmix, we want to keep the dough still workable. If you overmix the dough, it will be too sticky and might fall apart while baking.
Add flour, lemon zest and salt and mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. Form the dough into a disc and wrap it in a plastic food wrapper and refrigerate for 2 hours. Chilling the dough is very important for creating the right shape of the cookies.
Step 2 -Shaping and baking the cookies
Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll into balls in between the palms of your hands. Place the balls onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches apart. I love using this unbleached parchment paper sheets. You should be able to fill two baking sheets.
Take a measuring spoon of 1 teaspoon size and press gently into the centre of each cookie to make a small well. Readjust with fingers if the dough around breaks little.
Bake in the oven 350°F (175°C), for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. When the cookies are still hot, reshape the centre once more with a measuring spoon. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3- Assembling the thumbprint cookies with lemon curd
Fill the centres with about ½ teaspoon of homemade lemon curd. Or for more efficient filling, place the lemon curd into the pastry bag and slowly fill each well. Try no to overfill for aestetical look. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Storage Tips for Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Refrigeration (recommended): for longer freshness, store them in the fridge for up to 5–7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavour.
Freezing (best without curd): If freezing, do so before filling with lemon curd. Freeze baked, unfilled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and fill with curd before serving.
Tips for Baking and Filling Your Cookies with Lemon Curd
Don’t overfill the centres. Add only about ½ teaspoon of lemon curd per cookie. Overfilling can lead to curd bubbling over or cookies losing shape.
Chill the dough before baking. Refrigerate shaped cookie dough for 15–30 minutes before baking. This helps cookies keep their form and prevents spreading too much.
Use thick lemon curd. If your lemon curd is runny, chill it first or stir it over low heat to thicken slightly before using it in the cookies. A firmer curd makes tidier cookies and prevents leaking during baking.
Cool completely before storing. Let cookies cool fully on a wire rack or directly on the baking sheet so the curd sets and the cookies stay crisp. Store in a single layer or with parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
Make-ahead tip. Bake the cookies and store them unfilled in an airtight container. Add the lemon curd just before serving for freshest texture and appearance.
Variations on the classic recipe
Coconut-Lemon cookies: Roll the cookie dough balls in shredded coconut before baking.
Lemon-Blueberry Swirl: Add a small dollop of blueberry jam on top of the lemon curd before baking for a vibrant, fruity swirl. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the two fillings for a marble effect.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies: Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds to the dough for a texture boost. Great for brunch-style serving, and pairs beautifully with lemon flavour.
You can use different fillings, like strawberry jam, raspberry jam and any other fruit spreads, or different flavour of curds.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish with zest. Add a tiny pinch of lemon zest or a thin candied lemon peel curl on top of the curd before serving for a vibrant pop of colour and flavour.
Serve on a dessert tray. Include them in a cookie assortment tray with shortbread, macarons, or madeleines. Add fresh berries and mint leaves as edible decorations.
Dust with powdered sugar. Once the cookies have cooled completely, lightly dust them with powdered sugar for a pretty finish that adds a delicate sweetness.
FAQ’s
Yes! Store-bought lemon curd works just fine. Make sure it’s thick and not too runny, or chill it before filling the cookies.
No, you don’t have to bake the cookies with the curd. Best is after-baking fill. It gives a shinier, fresher lemon curd flavor. Fill the thumbprint after they’ve cooled.
This usually means the butter was too soft or warm. Chill the dough for 15–30 minutes before baking. Also, make sure you’re measuring flour correctly — too little flour can cause spreading.
Yes! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Let it soften slightly before shaping and baking.
More lemon recipes or other cookies
- SHORTBREAD PISTACHIO COOKIES
- PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE COOKIES
- MINI FLORENTINE COOKIES
- TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
- CRANBERRY ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
- LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
- LEMON POPPY SEED SCONES
- FRENCH STYLE LEMON TART
Lemon thumbprint cookies with lemon curd
Equipment
- 1 one tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
Lemon cookies
- ¾ cup (200 g) softened unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) fine granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 2 ½ cup (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Homemade Lemon curd
- 2 large lemons for zest
- 3 ½ tablespoons (53 ml) lemon juice
- 5 ½ tablespoons 80 g granulated sugar
- 1 extra large 75 g egg whole
- 7 tablespoons 100 g unsalted cubed butter room temperature
Instructions
Lemon cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted attachment, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add egg yolk and lemon juice (and vanilla extract – optional), and mix until combined.
- Sift in all-purpose flour, lemon zest and salt and mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. Form the dough into a disc and wrap it in a plastic food wrapper and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into balls in between the palms of your hands. Place the balls onto a lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches apart. You should be able to fill two baking sheets.
- Take a 1 teaspoon of measuring spoon and press gently into the centre of each cookie to make a small well.
- Bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Reshape the cookies once more, so the centre is deep enough to hold the curd. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Fill the centres with about ½ teaspoon of homemade lemon curd. Or for more efficient filling, place the lemon curd into the pastry bag and slowly fill each well. Don’t overfill.
Homemade lemon curd
- Wash lemons well to remove any wax or dirt. Zest them using a fine grater and set the zest aside. Juice the lemons.
- In a double boiler, fill a saucepan with a few inches of water and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a heatproof bowl (glass or stainless steel) on top, making sure it doesn’t touch the water.
- In the bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar. Rub them together with your fingers to release the lemon oils. Add the lemon juice and eggs, then whisk until smooth.
- Stir constantly with a spatula or whisk for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon and reach about 170°F (77°C).
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the zest and any cooked egg bits.
- Stir in the cubed butter, a few pieces at a time, until it’s fully melted, and the curd is smooth.
- Pour the curd into clean, sterilized jars or airtight containers. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. It will continue to thicken as it chills.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigeration for longer freshness, store them in the fridge for up to 5–7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavour. Freezing (best without curd): If freezing, do so before filling with lemon curd. Freeze baked, unfilled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and fill with curd before serving.
- Lemon curd: In the recipe card is exact measurement for lemon curd needed for filling the cookies. It’s in small quantities and will give you about 1/2 cup of lemon curd. I would recommend preparing the lemon curd in larger quantity, here is the recipe for large batch of lemon curd. You can freeze the leftover curd for up to 3 months and use it for different recipes like lemon tart.
- Different filling for cookies: you can use different kind of filling, like raspberry, strawberry or blueberry jam.
- Tools used in this recipe (affiliate links): one tablespoon cookie scoop, baking sheets, cooling rack, pastry bags.
Martin
Omg these are sooooo delicious!!!
Thanks.
Julia
Glad you like these cookies 🙂