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Home » Cook » Desserts and Baking » Lemon and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Lemon and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on January 13, 2023. Last updated on January 13, 2023

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lemon rosemary shortbread cookies

These lemon shortbread cookies with rosemary are easy to make and delicious! They are simple and refreshing with Meyer lemons and fresh rosemary. Offer them as a seasonal treat or enjoy them on the darkest winter days. They’re delightful!

A stack of lemon rosemary shortbread cookies surrounded by single cookies each with a fresh rosemary frond on top, on a dark wood board scattered with rosemary and lemon halves.

Bright Citrus Recipes for Winter

The dark and dreary winter is often brightened by beautiful citrus. Even though I don’t live in a place where citrus can grow naturally, I still enjoy it while I can.

There are many ways to use and preserve citrus, and I often turn to make lemon, orange, or grapefruit curd, as I can’t get enough of the stuff.

But, I’ve been on a shortbread kick lately, and that’s what these beautiful Meyer lemons that I saw at my local natural food store were calling to me.

Meyer lemons have a really nice flavor and work really well in these lemon shortbread cookies, but use regular lemons if that’s what you have.

Lemon shortbread cookies on a dark wood surface with fresh rosemary twigs, halved lemons, and green fabric surrounding.

Simply add a fresh herb from the winter garden to make these easy shortbread cookies even more sophisticated, and you’ve got some super tasty lemon and rosemary shortbread cookies!

You can also change up the fresh herb if you don’t want to use rosemary. Thyme would be lovely, or even mint or oregano.

If it’s summertime and you have fresh lavender, these lemon lavender shortbread cookies are outstanding!

Lemon and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies Recipe

These lemon shortbread cookies with rosemary are one of my new favorites! They are nice and lemony, which I love, and the rosemary really compliments the flavor well.

Zest and Juice the Lemons

You don’t have to use Meyer lemons in this recipe, any lemons will do (although Meyer lemons are pretty amazing). Even oranges or tangerines would work well.

To prepare, first, zest a lemon and squeeze the juice out.

Dark wood with halved lemons, a bowl of lemon zest, a microplane, and fresh rosemary.

Note: I recommend using a microplane to zest, it makes the job so easy!

Make the Dough

To make the lemon shortbread cookie dough, first cream together the butter and sugar.

Butter and sugar in a clear bowl on a dark wood surface surrounded by whole lemons and rosemary.

Then add the egg yolk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.

Eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest added to the clear bowl, stirred with a red rubber spatula.

Then add the flour, arrowroot powder, rosemary, and salt.

Flour and chopped fresh rosemary added to the bowl, being stirred with a red spatula.

Stir everything together until the dough begins to hold together.

A dark wooden background with a clear bowl from top view with stirred lemon shortbread cookie dough with a red rubber spatula.

Take the dough out of the bowl and form it into a log shape.

Lemon shortbread cookie dough formed into a log, on a wooden cutting board with fresh rosemary and a lemon surrounding.

Wrap and Chill the Dough

Wrap the dough log in parchment paper, twisting the ends to help hold it together. Put the dough in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm.

A dough log wrapped in parchment paper twisted on the ends on a wooden cutting board with fresh rosemary and a lemon surrounding.

You can store the dough for several days in the fridge, or for several weeks in the freezer if need be.

Sometimes you just need a no-rush lemon shortbread cookie, or one batch for now and one for later!

Slice and Bake the Lemon Shortbread Cookies

When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Slice the dough log into ¼ inch rounds.

Parchment paper unwrapped showing the log of dough, half of it sliced into cookies.

Put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about an inch or so apart. They don’t really spread much.

If you’re feeling fancy you can gently press some rosemary sprig ends into some of the cookies.

A parchment-lined baking sheet with unbaked lemon rosemary shortbread cookies, some topped with sprigs of rosemary.

Bake the rosemary lemon shortbread cookies for 25-30 minutes. Check them closely after 25 minutes, as they will start to brown pretty quickly.

Take them out when only the edges just barely start to turn golden. The centers will still be fairly soft.

A baking sheet lined with parchment with baked lemon rosemary shortbread cookies.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will firm up as they cool.

Ultimately they will end up nice and crisp and not too soft, as they should be.

Lemon shortbread cookies with rosemary sprigs on top, surrounded by fresh rosemary and lemon halves on a dark wood surface.

These lemon shortbread cookies are simple to make, yet fancy enough for company!

Lemon rosemary shortbread cookies on a dark wood surface with olive green fabric draped, and surrounded by fresh rosemary and lemon halves.

Store these fresh rosemary lemon shortbread cookies by themselves in a glass container with a lid, to preserve their crisp texture.

I will definitely be making these easy shortbread cookies again. In fact, I still have several more Meyer lemons that I need to use up!


More Herbal Shortbread Cookies

I have several other shortbread cookie recipes for you to enjoy. They are the perfect cookie!

  • Calendula and Thyme Shortbread Cookies
  • Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
  • Conifer Needle Shortbread Cookies
  • Mushroom Cookies with Maple Icing – not shortbread, but similar and delicious!

A stack of lemon rosemary shortbread cookies surrounded by single cookies each with a fresh rosemary frond on top, on a dark wood board scattered with rosemary and lemon halves.
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4.79 from 19 votes

Lemon and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

These lemon and rosemary shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious! They are simple to make and delicious with Meyer lemons and fresh rosemary. Offer them as a seasonal treat or enjoy them on the darkest winter days. They're delightful!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 126kcal
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Medium Bowl
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Microplane (for zesting)
  • Parchment Paper
  • Baking Sheet
  • Cooling Rack

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 14 Tbsp unsalted butter (2 sticks minus 2 Tbsp), softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice Meyer lemon works well
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest a microplane is the best tool for this
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary minced
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  • Cream together the butter and sugar.
  • Add the egg yolk, lemon juice and lemon zest, and stir to combine. Then add the flour, arrowroot powder, rosemary, and salt.
  • Stir everything together until the dough begins to hold together. Take it out of the bowl and form it into a log shape.
  • Wrap the dough log in parchment paper, twisting the ends to help hold it together.
  • Put the dough in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm. You can store the dough for several days in the fridge, or for several weeks in the freezer, if need be. 
  • When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Slice the log into 1/4 inch rounds. 
  • Put the rounds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about an inch or so apart. They don’t really spread much. You can gently press some rosemary sprig ends into some of the cookies if you'd like.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check them closely after 25 minutes, as they will start to brown pretty quickly. Take them out when only the edges just barely start to turn golden. The centers will still be fairly soft.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will firm up as they cool.

Notes

  • Use regular lemons instead of Meyer lemons if that’s what you have.
  • The dough log can be stored for several days in the fridge, or for several weeks in the freezer, if need be.
  • If you want to make different shapes, instead of forming the log you can alternatively refrigerate the dough as a flattened disk, then roll it out on a floured board and use cookie cutters.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 126kcal
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Previous Post: « Easy Orange Curd for Citrus Season
Next Post: Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lucie says

    January 28, 2023 at 2:21 pm

    Love anything shortbread and lemon! The rosemary sounds like a great touch. Can’t wait to give these a try. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      January 30, 2023 at 12:16 pm

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  2. Lynn Haven-Highfeld says

    June 25, 2021 at 2:44 am

    These sound delicious!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 28, 2021 at 8:52 am

      Thank you, Lynn! They really are!

      Reply
  3. Jennifer says

    January 10, 2021 at 11:06 am

    Thank you for these recipes, Colleen . I’m also a huge shortbread fan and adore any combination of lemon, rosemary or lavender. These are lovely! Will definitely not wait for seasonal baking. Have you tried them with a bit of Earl Grey mixed in?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      January 11, 2021 at 8:50 am

      No, I haven’t, but it sounds delightful! I may have to try that next time I make shortbread!

      Reply
  4. Margi Zearley says

    December 10, 2020 at 9:42 am

    The recipe calls for 28 TB or 2 sticks of butter.. Something seems off. I calculate 28 TB to be 3 and 1/2 sticks of butter.. is this correct?

    Reply
    • Margi Zearley says

      December 10, 2020 at 9:43 am

      I am making 36 cookies… so I think the amount is correct afterall…

      Reply
      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        December 21, 2020 at 9:09 am

        Great! I’m so glad.

  5. LarryG says

    October 20, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    Fresh Vs. Dry: Do you rehydrate the dried Rosemary when cooking / Baking Breads? Can it be chopped for Ground in a muddler?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 26, 2020 at 11:16 am

      The recipe calls for fresh rosemary. You can easily use dried, but maybe use a bit less than the recipe suggests since dried herbs are more potent than fresh.

      Reply
  6. wasantha says

    March 17, 2018 at 5:46 am

    Thanks for the post.You can make Chiken and potato in the oven with Rosemary leaves spread on it using Olive oil and salt.Uou can spray some white Wine while the stuff is cooking in the oven.Also you can make Italian Risotto using Rosemary butter and Parmisan cheese.Bon apetite!

    Reply
  7. Tess says

    January 14, 2017 at 6:33 pm

    Yum! Definitely going to make these!

    Reply

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Hello there! I’m Colleen.

I want to inspire you to live seasonally, become more self sufficient, and protect your health. I share information on foraging and wildcrafting, fermenting and preserving, cooking whole foods from scratch, permaculture gardening, and making herbal products. And that’s just the beginning! Learn more.

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