Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Butter gives these sablés their crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the icing sugar gives them their absolutely fine crumb.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (375 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 lb (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup (85 g) icing sugar
- 2 lemons, zest finely grated
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) liquid red food colouring (optional)
- Store-bought decorative sprinkles of your choice (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- In another bowl, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice with an electric mixer. Add the egg and egg yolk. Mix to combine. With the machine on low speed, or with a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients until smooth.
- Form the dough into 2 discs. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- On a floured work surface, roll out one disc of dough at a time until ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Cut out cookies using cookie cutters of your choice, reusing any dough scraps. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes or until the bottoms and sides of the cookies are lightly golden. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 1 hour.
Butter gives these sablés their crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the icing sugar gives them their absolutely fine crumb.