Lemon Sandwich Cookies
Lemon sandwich cookies are tender, crunchy lemon shortbread cookies sandwiched with a zingy sweet lemon filling. These cookies are a lemon lover’s dream!
Why You’ll Love These
Great for all your spring and summer gatherings.
Tender, crispy lemon shortbread cookies filled with citrus cream!
The taste of sunshine in a cookie.
This lemon cream filled cookies recipe uses fresh lemons, not lemon extract!
More of our favorite cookies to make are Butterball Cookies, Hello Dolly Cookies, Reese Cup Cookies, and Vanilla Almond Biscotti.
How to Make Lemon Sandwich Cookies
In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) cream butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Add the flour in thirds just until incorporated. Turn the dough out of the bowl and roll it into a 9″x2″ log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours up to overnight. I recommend overnight, the flavor is much better.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper
Slice into thin 1/4″ discs. Place one inch apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then cool completely on wire cooling racks.
Use an electric mixer to mix the room temperature cream cheese, lemon juice, zest, confectioners’ sugar, and salt.
Place in a piping bag or spread with a spoon onto half of the cookies. Place another cookie on top to make a sandwich.
Let the lemon cream filling set up for a few hours before serving.
Serve and enjoy! A burst of lemon flavor with every bite.
Tips
- You can chill the cookies in the refrigerator to help the filling firm up before serving.
- Chilling the cookie dough overnight yields a much more lemon-flavored cookie.
- Be sure to cut the cookie rounds in equal sizes for even cooking.
FAQs
You can store the cookie dough roll in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. I highly recommend making the filling on the day of serving. The filling can be refrigerated but is much softer and easier to use when freshly made.
Place the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing the baked and filled cookies. The filling can separate and weep after freezing and thawing. You can freeze the cookie dough, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Or you can freeze the baked unfilled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Citrus Dessert Recipes
Lemon Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 sticks
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Cookies
- Cream the sugar, butter, and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add the flour in thirds just until incorporated.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Turn the dough out of the bowl and roll into a 9″x2″ log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Slice into thin 1/4″ discs. Place one inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake about 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling
- With an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese, lemon juice, zest, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Place in a piping bag or spread with a spoon onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Place another cookie on top to make a sandwich.4 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 pinch salt
- Let the filling set up for a few hours before serving.
I need a glass of milk…they look so yummy. I would love for you to come share on my NEW Classy Flamingos Blog Party – Wed thru Fri poinsettiadr.com
Thanks so much, Linda! I will drop by.
I love lemon and these lemon sandwich cookies sound divine! The filling sounds soooo good. Thank you for sharing on This is How We Roll.
I love your recipes, but it would be nice if you gave a yield of how many cookies for each recipe. It would be time saver for others so they would know whether to reduce, double or triple recipe according to family size instead of having to make a second batch immediately to double should their family be large!
Hi, Margo! Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I thought I had put the number of servings in the recipe…oops. I have updated the recipe to show 12-14 cookies. Thank you so much for visiting our blog!
This is just the lemon cookie recipe I was looking for!
Just finished a test batch and now to make another
4 dozen! This is such an easy, delicious recipe to make.
I did cut down a little on the sugar in the filling and added a couple drops of vanilla to it. The baking time was spot on in my oven. I have to admit that I cheated and ate two before they were cooled and set all the way- they can only get better if that’s possible! Thanks
for the fabulous recipe!
These look great! Planning to make for my son’a sunshine themed first birthday to put on the dessert table.
The party is in June, and outside. So if I make the day before should they stay in the fridge until served?
Or just kept in airtight container indoors with AC on until it’s time to put on the dessert table? I don’t want the filling to melt and since it’s cream cheese not sure if it should be kept outside too long.
Any advice would be great!
They are best at room temperature. If you refrigerate, remove them to come to room temperature.
I made these for a bake-off competition with my friends….. I won!! They were a delicious success 🙂 Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe! I also sprinkled some powdered sugar over the cookies before serving. My friends loved them and I was super pleased with the turnout.
AWESOME!!! 🙂
Do you have to refrigerate this for storage? How long will cookies stay fresh without refrigeration?
No refrigeration needed, they will stay fresh maybe a couple of days.
These look good! Are the cookies crisp / crunchy, or crumbly/soft/chewy?
Crispy!
Just made these yesterday and they are amazing. I took them to a party and everyone loved them. I usually prefer a soft chewy cookies but these are so good. Will definitely make them again.
Questions:
Where do we add the vanilla extract?
No eggs??
Thanks for pointing this out to us. We have corrected the recipe. No eggs in this recipe.
I live in Denmark and would love to try this lovely receipe.. but I have no idea much 1 stick of butter is in grams.. nor hos Michael a cup is… can you help?
Sure, it’s 1/2 cup or 113 grams. We hope you love the cookies! They are divine!
Would a little poppy seed in dough be ok?
I don’t see why not. Give it a try.