Melt-in-your-mouth lemon butter cookies filled with creamy citrus buttercream and a dollop of tangy lemon curd.
Hi all! I’m back!
You might have noticed that last week I did not post a blog. That is because my husband took me on a surprise getaway for our one year anniversary! (He is seriously the best!) We went to Cambria, the city where he proposed and we got married to have a laid back beach vacation.
I decided that I would devote the time to totally relax with my best friend rather than being tied to my computer (as I always am). The trip was a huge success and I came home feeling totally refreshed and ready to take on the world.
Refreshing. That describes my life lately. I am in a season of change and I can see lots of new, exciting things on the horizon. I feel totally filled and invigorated.
For this week’s recipe I wanted to create something that embodied this feeling.
These cookies are what I came up with: lemon poppyseed sandwich cookies filled with tart lemon curd and creamy lemon buttercream.
These cookies are truly a breath of fresh air. In fact, they are so delicious that they might actually take your breath away entirely.
Chilling the dough is key when making these cookies. I actually chilled my dough twice; the first time immediately after finishing the dough, and the second after cutting the cookies.
To get perfectly shaped cookies, I like to roll out my dough and use a cookie cutter as opposed to the drop and bake method.
Once the cookies have baked and cooled, it is time to add the fillings!
I decided to turn these cookies into sandwiches because two cookies are better than one! I used two fillings for the same reason.
The first filling is one of my favorite citrus buttercream recipes. It is creamy but also thick, so it pipes beautifully. I nestled a dollop of lemon curd inside of the buttercream for a surprise pop of flavor!
These lemon cookies are perfect for spring! Simple to make and sure to refresh your zest for dessert.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Recipe
*Yields 2 dozen sandwich cookies
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Filling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups (312.5 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
1-2 teaspoons heavy cream
Lemon curd, jarred or from scratch
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cornstarch.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and cream until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in egg, followed by egg yolk, until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually stir in flour mixture. Add lemon zest and poppy seeds and mix until evenly distributed
3. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm (at least 3 hours).
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface until 1/4 inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Place cookies into freezer for 5 minutes before baking (this will keep cookies from spreading).
6. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
8. Gradually add powdered sugar until fully incorporated.
9. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Mix until incorporated.
10. Mix in cream (adding more if necessary) until buttercream reaches desired consistency (should be thick).
11. Pipe buttercream around the edge of a cookie. Fill the center with a dollop of lemon curd. Place another cookie on top and gently “sandwich” together. Repeat this process for the remainder of the cookies.
