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    Gastronotherapy » Recipes » Dessert

    Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies

    Modified: Dec 11, 2023 · Published: May 16, 2019 · by MaryAnne · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Rosemary lemon shortbread cookies are rich and buttery, with citrus notes from lemon and herby-ness from aromatic rosemary. Soft and tender with a slightly crisp exterior, they are perfect for the holidays, or an anytime snack with afternoon tea. You can even make them ahead of time and chill or freeze for baking later.

    Shortbread cookies arranged on a white plate.

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    Shortbread is the perfect foil for almost any flavor due the buttery richness of the cookie [see: cardamom shortbread cookies]. Herbs in particular can cut through that richness while adding beautiful aromatics to baked goods. 

    Rosemary is a fantastic pairing for lemon shortbread biscuits. Fresh citrus brightens up the cookies while rosemary gives them an earthy, herb-forward flavor that rounds out the overall flavor.

    Aromatic rosemary lemon shortbread cookies make a great holiday gift or anytime treat to pair with your afternoon coffee or tea. And your kitchen will smell incredible when they are baking in the oven.

    Jump to:
    • ⭐️ Why These Shortbread Cookies Are The Best
    • 🤔 What is the Difference Between Shortbread Cookies and Regular Cookies?
    • 🍋 Ingredient Notes
    • 📝 Cookie Variations & Substitutions
    • 🔪 How To Make Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies
    • 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
    • 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 🍪 More Cookie Recipes
    • Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies

    ⭐️ Why These Shortbread Cookies Are The Best

    • Bright citrus and herbal rosemary are a perfect shortbread pairing
    • Soft and tender rosemary shortbread cookies with a slightly crisp exterior
    • 7 simple ingredients
    • Enjoy shortbread cookies with afternoon tea or coffee, or as an addition to your holiday cookie platter, along with ginger snap cookies, peanut butter balls, brown butter snickerdoodle cookies, and chocolate coconut macaroons.
    • With "Make ahead and bake later" instructions
    • Use cookie cutters to make fun holiday shapes
    • Freezer-friendly cookie recipe

    🤔 What is the Difference Between Shortbread Cookies and Regular Cookies?

    Regular cookies come in a million different flavors and styles – from chewy chocolate chip to snickerdoodles. They're soft, gooey, and often packed with mix-ins like nuts and chunks of chocolate.

    Shortbread cookies, on the other hand, are much more simple. They're buttery, crumbly delights with just a handful of ingredients – think butter, sugar, and flour. These cookies aren't big on frills; they're about the rich, buttery flavor that melts in your mouth.

    🍋 Ingredient Notes

    cookie ingredients arranged on a table.
    • Unsalted butter - Make sure that you use chilled butter so the cookies keep their form and don't spread into flat discs when baked.
    • Lemon zest - The oils in the zest are what gives these cookies that bright lemon flavor.
    • Fresh rosemary - I recommend using fresh rosemary. However, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary if you don't have fresh on hand.
    • Egg white - Brushing your cookies with egg white will give them a beautiful sheen and helps the sugar adhere.

    📝 Cookie Variations & Substitutions

    • Herbs. Use your favorite herb in place of rosemary. Basil, thyme, and cardamom would all be delicious.
    • Holiday cookie cutters. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make fun holiday shapes. Simply roll out chilled dough to a little less than ½-inch thickness, and use your cookie cutters to cut desired shapes.
    • Citrus. Substitute lemon zest with fresh orange zest.
    stack of lemon shortbread cookies on parchment paper.

    🔪 How To Make Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies

    Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor. Add butter; pulse until moist clumps form.

    Cookie dough formed into moist clumps in a food processor.

    Transfer dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a log. Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

    Cookie dough formed into a log and wrapped in plastic with rosemary in the background.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut ¼"-sized discs from log and place on baking sheet. Using a pastry brush or back of a spoon, lightly brush each cookie with a slightly beaten egg white. 

    Log of cookie dough being sliced into discs on a cutting board.
    Egg white being brushed on top of sliced cookies on a baking sheet.

    Sprinkle lightly with sugar.

    White hand sprinkling sugar on top of sliced cookies on a baking sheet.

    Bake cookies until barely golden, about 10-12 minutes. Cool pan on rack for 5 minutes. Carefully remove cookies onto rack with a spatula. Cool completely.

    cookies on a cooling rack.

    👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

    • Make sure your butter is cold. Room temperature butter will cause your rosemary lemon cookies to spread and flatten out when baking.
    • When zesting your lemons, be sure to avoid the white pith. You only want the yellow zest. The pith tastes bitter and will add bitterness to your cookies.
    • Make ahead: After rolling your dough into a log, you can place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to one month. When ready to bake, thaw dough in the refrigerator and slice and bake according to recipe instructions below.
    • Don't overbake. Your cookies should not brown in the oven, but stay lighter in color.
    • Chill that dough. Chilling your dough helps to firm up the butter and retain some structure, and it will prevent your cookies from spreading too thin when baking.
    • Use parchment paper. This makes for easy clean-up.
    • How to store: Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • How to freeze: Store your completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
    Rosemary lemon shortbread on a plate with rosemary sprigs and sliced lemon.

    💬 Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between shortbread and sugar cookies?

    While both are delicious, shortbread is much denser and richer due to the amount of butter. Sugar cookies are lighter and firmer, and they contain leavener to help the cookies rise.

    What is the difference between English and Scottish shortbread?

    Whereas English shortbread traditionally uses butter, Scottish shortbread may use vegetable shortening, or a combination of butter and vegetable shortening, giving the cookies a crispier texture.

    Should butter be cold for shortbread?

    Yes, make sure your butter is cold when making shortbread. Room temperature butter will cause your cookies to spread and flatten out when baking.

    Do you need to refrigerate shortbread cookies?

    Although they can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week, I recommend refrigerating shortbread cookies due to their high butter content.

    🍪 More Cookie Recipes

    • Aromatic cardamom shortbread cookies arranged on two blue plates with a cup of coffee.
      Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
    • plate of chewy pecan chocolate cookies with chopped pecans.
      Chewy Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
    • old fashioned peanut butter balls stacked on parchment paper with some cut in half
      Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
    • chewy brown butter snickerdoodles arranged on a blue plate.
      Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook.

    Subscribe to my email newsletter to get a FREE e-book of 15 Healthy Weeknight Recipes, and get new recipes delivered to your inbox every week!

    lemon shortbread cookies arranged on a white plate.

    Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies

    Author: MaryAnne
    Rosemary lemon shortbread cookies are rich and buttery, with citrus notes from lemon and herby-ness from aromatic rosemary. Soft and tender with a slightly crisp exterior, they are perfect for the holidays, or an anytime snack with afternoon tea.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 17 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine British
    Servings 24 cookies
    Calories 74 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Food processor
    • 1 large baking sheet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 8 Tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
    • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
    • sugar (for dusting)

    Instructions
     

    • Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor. Add butter; pulse until moist clumps form.
    • Transfer dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a log. Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Cut ¼"-sized discs from log and place on baking sheet. Using a pastry brush or back of a spoon, lightly brush each cookie with a slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
    • Bake cookies until light golden, about 10-12 minutes. Cool pan on rack for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove cookies onto rack with a spatula. Cool completely.

    Notes

    • Make sure butter is cold. Room temperature butter will cause your cookies to spread and flatten out when baking.
    • When zesting your lemons, be sure to avoid the white pith. You only want the yellow zest. The pith tastes bitter and will add bitterness to your cookies.
    • Don't overbake. Your cookies should not brown in the oven, but stay lighter in color.
    • Chill that dough. Chilling your dough helps to firm up the butter and retain some structure, and it will prevent your cookies from spreading too thin when baking.
    • How to store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 27mgPotassium: 11mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah Baumeister

      June 27, 2021 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      The rosemary adds a little "something" to the lemon flavor. Loved it.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 27, 2021 at 4:17 pm

        So glad you loved them, Sarah!

        Reply
    2. Jill

      June 27, 2021 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      These were delicious. The rosemary really added a nice touch!

      Reply
    3. Andrea

      June 27, 2021 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, rosemary and lemon are a perfect combination of flavors for shortbread cookies. Yummy!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 27, 2021 at 4:20 pm

        I agree, Andrea! They both complement the buttery richness of shortbread!

        Reply
    4. Biana

      June 27, 2021 at 2:17 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! I love rosemary and lemon combination, but never used them in cookies. Your cookies sound amazing.

      Reply
    5. Cookilicious

      June 28, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      5 stars
      We loved this recipe! The cookies turned out perfect! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 28, 2021 at 2:49 pm

        hooray! you are welcome!

        Reply
    6. Theresa

      October 14, 2022 at 8:00 am

      5 stars
      These cookies are dangerous! So rich and buttery and I wasn't sure if I would like the amount of rosemary, but it was absolutely perfect with the lemon. Can't wait to make them again for the holidays!

      Reply
      • MaryAnne

        October 14, 2022 at 8:02 am

        Haha, thanks Theresa! I also love the amount of rosemary with the lemon. So happy they were a hit with you!

        Reply
    5 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Hi! I’m MaryAnne, the writer, recipe developer, and photographer behind Gastronotherapy, where I bring vibrant, delicious, and thoughtfully crafted mainly vegetarian and vegan (flexitarian) recipes to life. While my focus leans toward wholesome, nourishing dishes, my love for dessert ensures that indulgence always has a place at the table!

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