Lemon Cookies with Raspberry Curd Recipe
Delight in these zesty Lemon Cookies filled with a luscious Raspberry Curd. The lemon cookies are soft, tangy, and coated in sugar for a perfect sweet crust, while the homemade raspberry curd adds a vibrant, fruity filling that balances tartness with sweetness. This recipe combines classic flavors in a charming sandwich cookie ideal for tea time or dessert.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (112g)
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (276g)
- ⅜ teaspoon baking soda (¼ + ⅛ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar, enough to roll the cookie balls in
- Granulated sugar, enough to roll the cookie balls in
Raspberry Curd
- 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (226g – 8oz)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 9 tablespoons sugar (112g)
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (28g)
Instructions
- Prepare the Raspberry Curd: In a saucepan, combine raspberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Heat gently while stirring until raspberries release juice and mixture is warm. Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl, temper by slowly adding some warm raspberry mixture into yolks, then return to saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in softened butter until smooth. Strain to remove seeds if desired and cool completely.
- Make the Lemon Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract, mixing well. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until soft dough forms.
- Shape the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Form small dough balls using spoon or cookie scoop. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar to coat evenly. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and cookies are set. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet.
- Assemble the Cookies: Spread or pipe a generous amount of raspberry curd onto the bottom of one cookie and sandwich with another. Repeat for all cookies. Chill for 30 minutes if needed to set curd filling before serving.
Notes
- To avoid curd with seeds, strain raspberry curd through a fine sieve before cooling.
- For softer cookies, do not overbake; cookies firm as they cool.
- Use fresh lemon zest and juice for the brightest flavor.
- If preferred, substitute lemon extract with vanilla extract, but lemon gives best flavor.
- Keep cookies chilled if not serving immediately to maintain curd firmness.
