Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies - Bakers Table (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links, please visit ourprivacy policy for details.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these soft, chewyLemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies. Easy to make and bursting with vibrant lemonflavor, they’re the perfect treat for any lemon lover this spring and summer!

This recipe was originally shared in 2023.

Today, we’re excited to share our newest recipe…lemon curd thumbprint cookies! This recipe combines two of our most popular posts — lemon crinkle cookies and lemon bars. Lemon is a reader favorite on our blog, from classic lemon poundcaketo a twist on the Italian classic – lemon tiramisu!

So, these lemon cookies just seemed like the perfect treat to share to bring some much-needed sunshine. ☀️ 🍋

Fresh LemonIn Every Bite

So many lemon recipes call for the use of lemon extract and while that works in a pinch, there is nothing like the fresh, brightflavorof areallemon. From the cookie to the curd, every bite is bursting withfresh lemon.

Why You Will Love TheseLemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies:

• Each cookie is like an individuallemon bar!
• There’s NOchilltime and nostand mixerneeded.
• Comes together in just under 40 minutes.
• Soft, chewy, andmeltsin your mouth.
• Fullof lemonflavor!
• Easier to make than you might think.

There Are 3 Elements To The Perfect Lemon CurdThumbprintCookie

During development of this recipe, we tried many different variations of these cookies. We swapped the classic butter-based cookie to oil-based. We also found other small details that make ALL the difference in crafting the perfect lemon curd cookie. Let’s get into it, shall we?

• Cookie:Like I mentioned above, we spent many hours in the kitchen testing different ways to craft the perfect cookie. When we were first developing the cookie, we used a butter-based cookie similar to our Funfetti Cookies. The butter created a greasy cookie that had an unpleasantflavorand burned on the bottom no matter how we adjusted the recipe or oventemperature. Since we often swap fats in our citrus cakes, like our Iced Lemon Loaf and our KeyLimePoundCake, we thought…how about we do that for this cookie? With a few tweaks and adjustments to the recipe, we finally achieved a cookie that was tender, FULL of lemonflavor, andmelt-in-the-mouth delicious.
• Lemon Curd:On top of an extra lemony cookie, we filled these cookies with a fresh, bright lemon curd! If you’ve ever made our Pavlova or our Lemon CoconutCake, this will be very familiar for you. It’s an easy recipe that really provides a deliciousflavor. We found that the curd works best if you add it to the cookies AFTER (yes, after!)baking.
• Sugar:While it might not seem important, we found that unlike our lemon crinkle cookies, theselemon curd cookiesneeded to only be rolled inpowdered sugar! With the addition of lemon curd, rolling the cookies in granulated sugar andpowdered sugarcaused too much spread; and they were more like pancakes than a cookies. So, we opted to just use thepowdered sugarto give it that stunning “crinkle” look without causing too much spread!

How To Zest A Lemon

The best way to zest a lemon is with a zester! If you don’t have one, a very fine cheese grater will do, but it’s really worth investing in a zester. It’s a great tool to have! From there, thoroughly wash your lemon and dry it with a towel.

Now, you’re ready to zest! Hold the zester at an angle over a plate (just in case some falls off!) and push your lemon down the zester until you reach the white of the rind. Once you see white, stop zesting and rotate the lemon! Continue as you did before, and repeat until the entire lemon has been zested.

Depending on the size of your lemons, you may need more than one lemon.

First, Make TheHomemade Lemon Curd

Instead of diving head first into cookiebaking, we gotta make our curd! While you can usestore-bought lemon curdto fill these cookies, we really recommend making your own as theflavoris MUCH more delicious and it only takes about 10 minutes! So, go ahead and gather theingredientslisted below.

• Granulated Sugar – Sugar not only sweetens the curd but also plays a crucial role in thickening. As the curd cooks, the sugar dissolves and helps suspend the egg yolks, preventing them from scrambling and creating a smooth texture.
• Egg Yolks– These are the thickening agents in lemon curd. When whisked and heated with the lemon juice and sugar, the proteins in the egg yolks begin to solidify (coagulate), creating a thick and creamy custard base. Remember, don’t throw away the egg whites. You can make ourMeringue Cookieswith the leftover egg whites!
• Lemon Juice– This provides the primary flavor for lemon curd. The acidity in the juice also contributes to thickening the curd as it reacts with the egg yolks.
• Lemon Zest– Zest adds a vibrant, fresh lemon flavor that goes beyond the tartness of the juice. It contains essential oils concentrated in the peel, lending a more complex and fragrant lemony aroma and flavor to the curd.
• Salted Butter – Butter adds richness and creaminess to the finished curd. It is typically incorporated at the end, after the curd has thickened, to avoid separating. A small amount of salt in salted butter helps to balance the sweetness of the sugar and enhance the overall flavor profile.

We have made lemon curd hundreds of times since starting our blog. It’s kind of our “secret weapon” for extra lemony flavor! Luckily, it’s SO easy to make and truly minimal effort. All you need to do is whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice together in a glass bowl. Place over a bain-marie (or, pot of simmering water!) and stir continually, being sure to scrape the sides of the bowl, until thickened.

As a quick precaution, to ensure there are no lumps of cookedegg yolkin your curd, we recommend straining the curd through a fine meshed sieve. Once you’ve done this, just mix in your butter andlemon zestand set aside!

You’ll Need TheseIngredientsFor The Cookies:

• All-Purpose Flour– Provides the base structure of the cookie. The gluten proteins in the flour develop when mixed with liquid ingredients, giving the cookie its shape and tender crumb.
• Granulated Sugar– Because we wanted more structure and less spread, we opted to use granulated sugar to sweeten these cookies.
• BakingPowder – A leavening agent that produces carbon dioxide bubbles when mixed with liquid and exposed to heat. This causes the cookie dough to rise slightly, creating a softer, lighter texture.
• BakingSoda – Another leavening agent. Baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients like lemon juice, further enhancing the cookie’s rise and resulting in a slightly more tender texture.
• Lemon Zest– Infuses the cookie dough with a bright, intense lemon flavor, complementing the tangy lemon curd filling.
• Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and provide structure to the cookie. Eggs also add richness and a slightly tender crumb.
• Vegetable Oil – Contributes moisture to the cookies, ensuring a softer texture and helping prevent them from becoming too dry.
• Lemon Juice–Provides a hint of additional citrus flavor and works together with the baking soda to enhance the cookie’s rise.
• Vanilla Extract– Adds a subtle depth of flavor that rounds out the sweetness and citrus notes, creating a more balanced cookie.
• Powdered Sugar(not pictured) – Used for rolling the cookie dough balls before baking. This sugary coating creates the signature “crinkle” look and adds a touch of extra sweetness.

Make TheCookie Dough

To make the dough,whisktogether the flour, sugar,bakingpowder,bakingsoda, andlemon zestin alarge bowl. Set aside. Then, in a separatebowl, combine eggs, oil,lemon juice, and vanilla.Whiskwell. Pour over dryingredientsand stir until combined.

How To Shape These Cookies

To shape the cookies, we used a medium sized cookie scoop (1½ Tablespoons) and rolled the dough in our palms to create a smooth, round ball. From there, roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar and place on prepared pans (15 cookies per pan).

BakeAnd Then Fill

Place the cookies in a 350°Fovenandbakefor 12 minutes. You may have noticed that unlike mostthumbprintcookie recipes, we will fill these cookies AFTER they are baked. So, once they come out of theoven, immediately use the back of a roundedteaspoonto make anindentationin each cookie. Fill each cookie with about 1½teaspoonscurd.

✳ Recipe FAQ’s

More Lemon Recipes You May Like:

When you make these Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

Happy baking!
x, Caylie

– Still Hungry? –

Here are a few recipes may like!