Keyword: easy party foods, lemon cookies, lemon pastry cream, lemon shortbread cookies, shortbread cookies
Prep Time: 2 hourshours
Cook Time: 25 minutesminutes
Total Time: 2 hourshours25 minutesminutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 92kcal
Author: Slim Pickin's Kitchen
Lemon Shortbread Cookies w/ Lemon Pastry Cream are an amazing summery sweet treat! Easy to make and full of lemony flavor, these little cookie cups would be delightful for your next wedding or baby shower, garden party, or summer brunch!
Using a mixer or beaters, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Stir in juice and seeds.
Using a spatula, gently fold in flour ½ cup at a time, making sure to stir only until the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix. Continue to add flour until it is no longer sticky.
Dump dough onto a floured surface, pinch off a piece, roll it into a ball, and place in a greased mini muffin pan. Continue until you have 24 balls.
Using clean hands, gently press your thumb into the center of each ball, forming the dough into a little cup. If the dough sticks to your thumb, dip it in a little flour before you make each indention.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Let cool completely then fill w/ lemon pastry cream.
For the Lemon Pastry Cream:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and flour. Set aside.
Pour milk and lemon zest into a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat.
Whisk 1-2 small ladles full of the warmed milk into the egg/sugar mixture to "temper" the eggs then pour the rest in and whisk until smooth the sugar is dissolved.
Return the mixture to the sauce pot and whisk constantly, about 5-6 minutes, until the mixture pulls together and forms into a custard.
Remove from heat, whisk in the butter, vanilla extract, and fresh lemon juice until well incorporated.
Transfer to a small bowl and cover w/ a piece of plastic wrap, directly on the surface of the cream, to stop a skin from forming.
Allow to chill for a minimum of 2 hrs before filling the cups.