These crunchy Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies are quick and easy to make. Buttery and lemony, they are the perfect cookie to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

If you love Lemon Poppyseed Muffins or Lemon Loaf, then these cookies are for you!

They bake up beautifully! If you cut them into 2-inch sizes, there is no need to prick holes in them. Any larger and you will want to poke a few holes in them for even baking.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

six simple ingredients
delicious cookies to enjoy any time of year and they are the perfect cookie to package up and give as a gift.
no fancy equipment needed. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer or even mix the cookie dough by using a wooden spoon.

INGREDIENTS

Butter – softened at room temperature.
Powdered sugar
Poppy seeds
Lemon zest
All-purpose flour
Granulated Sugar for sprinkle on top of the cookies before baking

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This recipe comes together very quickly and easily. I recommend using a stand mixer, however you can easily cream the first two ingredients with a wooden spoon. Just be aware you will need to mix it vigorously by hand for about 4 minutes.

Butter and powdered sugar in bowl from stand mixer.

In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down sides often.

Poppy seeds are added to the butter mixture along with the lemon zest in bowl from stand mixer.

On low speed, stir in poppy seeds and lemon zest stirring just until combined.

All-purpose flour is added to the butter mixture.

Gradually stir in the flour, adding 1/3 cup at a time and mixing over low speed.

Poppyseed shortbread dough is wrapped up in plastic wrap and ready to go into the refrigerator.

Gather dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

A round 2-inch cookie cutter is place on top of the rolled dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.

Cookies are cut out and sprinkled with granulated sugar on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or other desired shape) to cut the dough into rounds and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of granulated sugar. Using clean hands, pinch the sugar between two fingers and gently rub them together over top of the cookie, allowing the sugar to sprinkle onto the cookie.

Bake in 300°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.

Immediately move cookies to a cooling rack. Cool then store in airtight container for up to five days.

EXPERT TIPS

Divide the dough in half when you begin to roll out the cookies

Re-roll the scraps only once or twice and try to handle the dough as little as possible.

STORAGE & FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.