By Robin Gagnon | Updated on
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Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies are a delightful bright addition to any cookie platter. They make a lovely contrast against chocolate and heavier drop style cookies. I'm sharing this lightly sweetand nutty lemon shortbread cookies recipe with you today, so you can enjoy them too.
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The combination of walnuts and Meyer lemon is a dessert favorite of mine and one my daughter seems to have inherited as well. I have a Walnut Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake recipe I'll be sharing next week. For me anyway, the rich meatiness of chopped walnuts are the perfect foil against the fragrance and tangy flavor of fresh Meyer lemons. This this shortbread cookie, these two flavors are certainly the stars.
Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies Recipe Preparation
These delightfully nutty lemon shortbread cookies are quite easy to make. You just need a little patience letting them chill before cutting, so you will have nice medallions. Full recipe below.
After mixing and lightly kneading the dough, it is split into two logs and refrigerated to firm up.
The Walnut Meyer Lemon shortbread cookie dough is carefully sliced and placed on parchment for baking.
The cookies stay true to their original shape during baking, just cool before serving or packing to give as gifts.
Walnut Meyer Lemon Cookies pair wonderfully with tea, but I have been enjoying them with coffee myself.
Walnut Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Elegant Walnut Meyer Lemon Cookies are perfect with afternoon tea... or anytime.
4.27 from 56 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Prep Time: 3 hours hours
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Servings: 30
Calories: 85kcal
Author: Robin Gagnon
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup confectionery sugar
- 2 tbs fresh Meyer lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- zest of 2 Meyer lemons
- 2 cups flour
- ⅔ cup finely chopped walnuts
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Cream together the butter and sugar.
In a small separate bowl mix salt in lemon juice to dissolve then add to butter mixture along with the zest, and mix.
Add the flour and mix well, then fold in the walnuts as best you can.
Knead the dough lightly, enough to evenly distribute the walnuts, then split in half and roll into two logs about 2 inches thick. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 ½ to 3 hours to firm up.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut each cookie dough log into slices about ⅜" thick. Arrange on parchment. These shortbread cookies will not expand much at all, but leave a little space between them.
Bake for 11-12 minutes, then remove to rack to cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Sonja says
My husband and I just received a letterbox of fresh picked Meyer Lemons! Of course I my mind went racing and my husband he it was time to go golfing and leave me to my lemon dreams.
I immediately went hunting on the web for anything an everything Meyer Lemon. That's when I found this recipe!
I followed the recipe the T and they were everything I hoped they would be! My whole family has a new favorite!
Thank you!Reply
Robin Gagnon says
I am so glad. These shortbread cookies are a favorite of mine.
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Allison says
I found the recipe too crumbly the first time. Added a tablespoon of vodka, and now they are perf.
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jgp says
Why Vodka?
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Robin Gagnon says
This is actually a trick many bakers use to make dough easier to work. It evaporates faster than water, and the alcohol dissipates. While, I didn't have trouble with this shortbread dough, it is a good hack should you run into this issue on this recipe or in the future. I've done it with pie crust to reduce fat, yet maintain flakiness.
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Jgp says
Thank you!
Sarah says
These aren't bad but I wouldn't make them as is ever again as written. The one thing I changed was I toasted the walnuts, I always toast my nuts, it just makes them taste nuttier.
At least for my husband and I these are just too sharply sweet, I'm pretty sure the powdered sugar is to blame for that. I get the point of using it for these cookies as they'll easily meld into the dough, but it just gives them a slightly off and kind of floury/Dusty flavor, and no my powdered sugar isn't old. With the mention of them being lightly sweet my husband and I were shocked at how sweet they tasted.
I think they need a little depth, I'd personally remove some of the powdered sugar and add a little brown sugar. Or replace it entirely with some Demerara run through a coffee grinder to give it a similar texture to powdered sugar. That would give the cookies the slight.... roundness they're missing and hopefully better balance the sharpness.
To Make these more eatable for my husband and I grabbed some Meyer lemon glaze I already have and have them a very thin coating and that made them much better.
If you are looking for a slightly flavored shortbread you can dunk, they would probably be fine, minus a touch of the sugar. For us that was the biggest issue.
This is just my opinion, I do bake a lot and make a decent amount of shortbread, but your mileage may vary.
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jgp says
Can the rolls be frozen for use at a later time when Meyer lemons aren't available?
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Robin Gagnon says
Yes. I have frozen logs of shortbread dough often. A full batch is too much to have around for my small family.
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Liz says
I would have never thought of using this combination of ingredients, but your recipe intrigued me! I love shortbread and this was a fabulous recipe! Thanks so much!
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Beth says
Made these last weekend. I was so lucky to run into some Meyer lemons at my favorite grocery store! The cookies were delicious!! We love shortbread cookies!!
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FWM says
One star is a compliment. One of the worst tasting things I have ever made (and I'm a good baker). Even used fresh Meyer lemons (went out of my way to find them). Salty and bitter. Threw them out. Never again.
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Patti says
Super easy to make. I had two meyer lemons to use up from a small tree I am growing. I am at higher elevation ( high desert) so i added in a bit more lemon juice as the water content in my flour is low and if anything my doughs are more on the dry side.
Very tasty - perfect amount of tart lemon to sweet ratio. I took the advice of FWM and used 1/4 tsp salt ( the 3/4 did seem like a lot ) and just slightly less walnuts ( personal preference - not a nut fan in my sweets ) and they turned out great. The only odd thing is I had to bake them for twice the recommended bake time ( around 22 - 23 minutes ). At the 11 minute mark they were still soft and not cooked at all. The kitchen did not start to smell like baking cookies until at least 18 minutes in. I cut them the recommended thickness. Shrug. Thanks for a great easy recipe.Reply
