Lemon Cookies with Lemon Cream

There's something magical about the bright, zesty flavor of lemon in a dessert, and these Lemon Cookies with Lemon Cream are pure magic! This recipe creates the perfect sandwich cookie: a tender, buttery shortbread that melts in your mouth, filled with a luscious, sweet-tart lemon cream. They are surprisingly easy to make and are a wonderful way to bring a little sunshine to your kitchen. Whether you're baking for a special occasion or just looking for a delightful treat to enjoy with your afternoon tea, these cookies are sure to become a new favorite.

Cooking: 1 hour
Quantity: 7 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 254 kcal
Proteins: 4 g
Fats: 15 g
Carbohydrates: 26 g

Ingredients for the Lemon Cookie Dough

  • 70 g butter
  • 35 g fine white sugar
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 egg
  • 150 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • vanilla powder to taste

Ingredients for the Lemon Cream

  • 50 g butter, 82% fat
  • 50 g sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

How to Make Lemon Cookies with Lemon Cream

A glass bowl with softened butter being whisked.

Whisk the softened butter for 2-3 minutes.

Adding sugar to a bowl of whipped butter.

Add fine white sugar or powdered sugar to the whipped butter.

An egg is added to the creamed butter and sugar mixture in a glass bowl.

Beat the butter with sugar, add an egg, and mix everything well again.


Take the butter out of the refrigerator in advance or soften it to the consistency of thick sour cream using any convenient method. Whisk the softened butter for 2-3 minutes. For the dough, you can use butter with 60% to 72% fat content; for the cream, use a higher-fat butter for better flavor.

Add fine white sugar or powdered sugar to the whipped butter. You can slightly increase the amount of sugar if you have a sweet tooth.

Beat the butter with the sugar, crack in the egg, and mix everything well again. The ingredients should not be cold, so take the eggs out of the refrigerator beforehand.

Adding freshly grated lemon zest to the cookie dough mixture.

Add the grated zest to the dough.

Adding flour mixture to the wet ingredients in a glass bowl to make cookie dough.

Add the dry ingredients to the whipped butter mixture.

A hand kneading the lemon cookie dough in a glass bowl.

Quickly knead the dough.


Scald the lemon with boiling water and wash it thoroughly. Grate the thin yellow layer of zest on a fine grater, trying to avoid the white pith. Add the grated zest to the dough.

Combine the all-purpose flour with the baking powder and vanilla powder. Add the dry ingredients to the whipped butter mixture.

Quickly knead the dough. You can make the lemon cookie dough by hand or mix the ingredients in a food processor.

A ball of cookie dough wrapped in plastic wrap, ready for chilling.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

Rolling out the lemon cookie dough on a board with a rolling pin.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 4 millimeters.

Using a cookie cutter to cut shapes from the rolled-out dough.

Cut out the cookies using a rectangular or triangular cookie cutter.

Raw, cut-out lemon cookies arranged on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.


Place the rested dough on a cutting board. Roll it out into a sheet 4 millimeters thick. To prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and board, grease them with a little vegetable oil.

Cut out the cookies using a rectangular or triangular cookie cutter. You will need an even number of cookies.

Arrange the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Golden-brown lemon cookies fresh out of the oven on a baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

Ingredients for the lemon cream in a bowl, ready to be mixed.

Making the cream.

Spreading a layer of lemon cream onto a baked cookie.

Spread about 20 g of lemon cream on one half of a cooled cookie.


Bake for 12 minutes at 180°C (350°F) until light golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet to room temperature.

To make the cream, beat the softened butter with a mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk. Pour the lemon juice into the finished cream, add the grated zest, and mix everything well again with the mixer. The lemon juice should not be cold! If desired, you can add a few drops of lemon extract.

Spread about 20 g of lemon cream on one half of a cooled cookie, cover with another cookie half, and press gently.

A stack of finished lemon cookies with lemon cream filling on a plate.

Serve with tea or coffee. Enjoy your meal!

Refrigerate the finished cookies for a few hours. Serve with tea or coffee.

And there you have it – beautiful and delicious Lemon Cookies with Lemon Cream, ready to brighten anyone's day! Once assembled, letting them chill in the refrigerator allows the cream to set and the flavors to meld together perfectly. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. For a fun twist, try adding a teaspoon of poppy seeds to the dough or using lime for a different citrusy kick. We hope you enjoy every last crumb of these delightful treats. Happy baking!