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Zesty Lemon Sourdough Shortbread Cookies

Bursting with lemon zest, these sweet sourdough shortbread cookies are a satisfying dessert to snack on any time of year. Use up some discard and enjoy these cookies plain, dust them with powdered sugar, or dip them in a rich lemon icing; either way, they are simply delicious.

A stack of sourdough shortbread cookies dusted with powdered sugar and arranged next to a lemon and two slices of lemon rounds.

Shortbread cookies are nostalgic for me. They take me straight back to elementary school — to boxes filled with Girl Scout cookies and a long list of potential buyers. Who can resist a shortbread cookie baked to perfection?

Girl Scout cookies are certainly a treat, but they really don’t compare to these homemade sourdough shortbread cookies. You can’t beat freshly baked shortbread packed with buttery flavor and bursting with lemon zest. The smell alone is worth the undertaking.

These cookies are easy to make and only use eight simple pantry ingredients. The texture achieves a perfect harmony of crumbly, crunchy, soft, and tender. Simply roll out the dough and cut it into any shape you like. Enjoy them as they are, dusted with powdered sugar or dipped in a creamy lemon icing that sets beautifully.

A cooling rack full of lemon-infused shortbread cookies, topped with a dusting of powdered sugar next to a lemon slice.

Ingredients for Sourdough Lemon Shortbread

Classic shortbread recipes follow a 3-2-1 ratio: 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, and 1 part sugar. Occasionally, vanilla and salt are added, but there are no eggs or leavening agents. Because we are making sourdough discard shortbread, I’ve tweaked the ratio a bit to accommodate for the extra liquid contained in the starter.

Here are the ingredients needed for sourdough shortbread cookies:

  • Sugar. Granulated sugar gets combined with the lemon zest.
  • Lemons. We will add both the lemon zest and lemon juice.
  • Butter. Unsalted butter is the foundational ingredient in these cookies. You want the butter to be room temperature but still a bit cool to the touch. If the butter is too warm, it can cause the cookies to spread during baking.
  • Sourdough starter discard. The complex flavor of a little sourdough discard can dramatically enhance the flavor of any cookie recipe.
  • Vanilla. Use pure vanilla extract; the best quality you can get your hands on.
  • Flour. All-purpose flour works beautifully here.
  • Cornstarch. It is an odd yet crucial ingredient for these shortbread cookies. The cornstarch is very important for achieving the right texture.
  • Salt. Some traditional shortbread recipes will omit salt, but I find it improves the flavor to add a pinch.
A batch of lemon-flavored shortbread cookies, dusted with powdered sugar, arranged on a wire rack with a lemon wedge.

Quick-Guide How-To Make

  1. Pulse the sugar and lemon zest in a food processor or blender about a dozen times.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the lemon sugar and butter together until creamy.
  3. Add the sourdough discard, lemon juice, and vanilla.
  4. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, then mix until the dough clumps together.
  5. Roll out the dough onto a floured piece of parchment paper. Aim for a 1/2-inch thick sheet of dough. Transfer the dough with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet, then cover it with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 3 hours.
  6. Cut out the cookies and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 14-15 minutes.

Photos of the Process

Pulse the sugar and lemon zest together thoroughly, at least 12 times. A food processor or blender works best for this, but you can also use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or by hand with a whisk.

Sugar and lemon zest in a food processor.

Notice how the zest is fully combined with the sugar.

A mixture of sugar and lemon zest in a food processor.

In a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer (or a stand mixer) to cream the lemon sugar with the butter. Add the wet ingredients and mix, then add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough begins to form and clump together.

A rough shaggy dough for lemon shortbread cookies.

Dump the rough and soft ball of dough out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper.

Sourdough lemon shortbread dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper.

Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough into a flat 1/2-inch thick sheet of dough.

Shortbread cookie dough rolled out on a piece of parchment.

Transfer the dough with the parchment onto a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap to chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Shortbread cookie dough rolled out flat on a piece of parchment paper placed on a cookie sheet and covered with plastic wrap.

After the chill time is complete, preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use your preferred cookie cutter shape to cut out cookies and place them on the prepared pan. Re-roll any extra dough until all the dough is used up.

If the dough gets too warm, place the shaped cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. Bake for 14-15 minutes, until the edges begin to set and the color barely begins to turn golden. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Lemon shortbread cookies being cut out and placed on a baking sheet prior to baking.

Sourdough Shortbread Cookie Highlights

Flavor: Shortbread is famous for its subtle sweetness and bold buttery flavor. Combine that with a pop of lemon zest and the tang of sourdough discard, and viola — shortbread cookie perfection.

Texture: With no leavener or egg, this shortbread yields a distinctively crisp texture while still being soft and tender. This recipe is egg-free.

Tools needed: A food processor or blender is a must for combining the sugar and lemon zest. Parchment paper makes rolling out the dough and transferring it to a baking sheet easy. Some kind of cookie cutter is ideal, but as you can see from my photos, even a small-sized lid can work in a pinch.

Chilling time: Yep. You have to chill this dough. I’m sorry, there’s simply no skipping this step. It’s worth it, I promise. Chill the dough for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days. This works in your favor if you think of these as make-ahead cookies!

A batch of lemon shortbread cookies on a wire rake with a slice of lemon.

Shortbread Tips

  • Use any cookie-cutter shape you like. I wanted a simple round shape, about 2″ in diameter, so I just used a jar lid to cut my cookies out. Heart shapes or rounds with fluted edges are a great choice that will suit a variety of occasions.
  • Cornstarch is the key to achieving the perfect texture. It helps give the cookies that perfectly balanced crumb; both soft and tender, yet crisp and crunchy. It also helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
  • The initial step of thoroughly pulsing the sugar and lemon zest is crucial for these lemon sourdough shortbread cookies for three reasons: 1) it breaks down the sugar granules and lemon zest into a very fine form, 2) it releases the oil from the lemon rind, which adds moisture to the dough, and 3) it enhances the dough’s flavor as it’s creamed with the flavorful butter — fat = flavor.
  • If you’re not ready to bake your dough immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to five days. However, if it’s chilled for more than 3 hours, it may become too firm to roll, so you might need to let it sit at room temperature for a bit before rolling.

FAQ

What is shortbread?

Shortbread originated in the Scottish tradition, beginning as a way to use up any leftover bread dough. The medievals would dry it out and bake it into a sort of crunchy biscuit.

Eventually, they omitted the yeast and added in some butter, developing the biscuit into shortbread. It is said that Mary, Queen of Scots, loved Petticoat Tails, a delicate, crisp, buttery shortbread traditionally flavored with caraway seeds.

Are shortbread cookies the same as sugar cookies?

Sugar cookies have a higher sugar ratio, while shortbread has a higher ratio of butter to flour. Plus, shortbread doesn’t use eggs, whereas sugar cookies do.

What if I skip chilling the shortbread dough?

Cold butter is key when making shortbread. If the butter gets too warm and soft, the cookies will not hold their shape in the oven, and the result will be too much spreading and flat cookies.

What does the cornstarch do for shortbread? Can I use anything else instead?

Adding cornstarch helps soften the flour’s proteins, giving the shortbread its classic crumbly and tender texture. If you need to replace cornstarch, you can use rice flour instead—use 2 tablespoons of rice flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

To make this dough ahead of time, mix it up and form it into a disc like you would with pie crust dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you are ready to cut out the cookies, allow the dough to sit at room temperature until it can be rolled out (about 20 minutes). Cut out the cookies and continue with the baking instructions.

To freeze dough before cutting cookies:
Prepare the cookie dough as directed in the recipe. Chill according to the instructions. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature until it’s soft enough to roll.

To freeze after cutting cookies:
Place the cookies on a wax paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for at least one hour or until firm. In the meantime, line a large airtight container with plastic wrap. Once the cookies are firm, remove them from the freezer and arrange them in a single layer in the container. If stacking multiple layers, insert sheets of wax paper or parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking. After all the cookies are packed, cover tightly with plastic wrap, close the container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, but note that they may take longer than the recipe suggests, so plan to add a few minutes to the bake time.

Storage

Cookies will stay fresh for a week at room temperature in an airtight container, or up to 10 days if stored in the fridge.

Optional Lemon Glaze Recipe

To make the lemon icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon milk or cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • optional – more lemon zest for sprinkling on top of wet icing

Whisk all the icing ingredients together in a small bowl. Let the cookies cool completely, dip the tops into the icing, and let the excess icing drip off before setting the cookie on a wire rack. If you’d like, sprinkle each cookie with fresh lemon zest while the icing is still wet.

Let the cookies dry on the rack until the icing has set completely. You should be able to press your finger on the icing without leaving any indentation. The icing will set in about an hour, and then you can transfer or stack the cookies in an airtight container.

More Favorite Cookie Recipes

Did you love these cookies? Here are more of our favorite sourdough cookie recipes:

Chewy Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy, Easy Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies

The Best Soft Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies

A stack of sourdough shortbread lemon cookies with two slices of lemon on a wire rack.

Zesty Lemon Sourdough Shortbread Cookies

Alicia Pyle
These easy sourdough shortbread cookies are made with tangy discard and a burst of lemon zest — a perfect dessert for any time of year.
Prep Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 44 minutes
Servings 20 cookies
Calories 166 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon zest
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/3 cup sourdough starter discard or active
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Optional Lemon Icing

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon milk or cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • optional fresh lemon zest for zesting onto wet icing

Instructions
 

  • Make the cookie dough: Add the sugar and lemon zest to a food processor or blender and pulse at least 12 times.
  • In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer to beat the lemon zest sugar and butter on high for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides if needed, then add the sourdough discard, lemon juice, and vanilla, and mix again until combined. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and mix on medium until the dough begins to clump together.
  • Lightly flour a sheet of parchment paper and turn the dough out onto it. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out on the parchment until it is about 1/2" thick evenly. Transfer the dough sheet with the parchment onto a baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days in the fridge.
  • After chilling is complete, preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into your preferred shape. Shoot for a 2-3" diameter cookie. You can also use a knife to cut even-sized squares. Re-roll any excess dough until all the dough is used up.
  • Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 14-15 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookies are barely turning golden. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Optional Icing: Whisk all the icing ingredients together in a small bowl. Let the cookies cool completely and then dip the tops into the icing and let the excess icing drip off before setting the cookie on a wire rack. If you'd like, sprinkle each cookie with fresh lemon zest while the icing is still wet.
    Let the cookies dry on the rack until the icing has set completely. You should be able to press your finger on the icing without leaving any indentation. The icing will set in about an hour, and then you can transfer or stack the cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

# of cookies this recipe yields: The amount of cookies will vary based on cookie cutter size. I used a 2″ diameter cutter and got about 20 cookies.
Freezing Notes: To freeze dough before cutting cookies:
Prepare the cookie dough as directed in the recipe. Chill according to the instructions. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature until it’s soft enough to roll.
Topping options: Instead of the icing, you can simply dust the tops with powdered sugar. Be sure to wait until the cookies are completely cool. Another option is to sprinkle coarse sugar on the tops right before popping the cookies into the oven to bake. For a pretty touch, use sparkling sugar, which can be found in the baking aisle with the sprinkles.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 17mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 287IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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