Ten reasons why Lemon Sandwich Cookies are my new favorite:
- Lemon Sandwich Cookies are slice and bake—no messy rolling and cutting in the summer heat.
- With a tablespoon of grated zest in both dough and filling, the cookies are distinctly lemon.
- Once dough logs are refrigerated, I can slice and bake up a few… or a lot.
- I can have fresh-baked cookies on the table in about twenty minutes.
- Lemon Sandwich Cookies are the perfect afternoon tea treat.
- With a little dish of ice cream or sorbet, they’re perfect for light summer dessert too.
- I can add other flavorings to the dough like fresh thyme and rosemary from my garden.
- I can set out the cookies and filling separately for guests to frost their own.
- Frost-your-own means people can have it their way—as wafers, open-faced, or sandwich.
- The unusual presentation gets people talking and interacting at the table.
We were at my niece’s (Maggy and Sharon’s cousin’s) wedding all weekend. Many of our family members came to our house after brunch yesterday. Early afternoon, it was too late to serve lunch and too early for dinner, so I sliced a log of my lemon cookie dough and baked them up. By the time the tea kettle whistled, the freshly baked cookies were coming out of the oven, which I served straight from the cooling rack, along with a bowl of the filling.
It was just what we needed to get us all around the table to catch up and tide us over until dinner. I’m sure I would have figured out something else, but I don’t think it would have been as good as Lemon Sandwich Cookies.
Lemon Sandwich Cookies
Lemon Sandwich Cookies Makes about 3 dozen cookies or 18 sandwich cookies
by: Three Many Cooks
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 whole egg, plus 1 yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Mix egg, yolk, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor; mix on medium speed or process until smooth and well mixed. Add egg mixture; mix on low speed or pulse until well incorporated. Add flour; mix on low speed or pulse until smooth dough forms.
- Divide dough in half and with floured hands, form each portion into an approximate 5-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until solid, at least 30 minutes. (Can be double-wrapped and refrigerated for several days or frozen up to 2 months.)
- Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut dough into approximate ¼-inch thick slices. Place dough slices on parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheets about ½-inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Serve. (Can be stored in an airtight tin up 2 weeks.)
- For the filling, beat cream cheese, butter, lemon zest, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add sugar and continue to beat until smooth.
- When ready to serve, spread half of the cookies with a portion of the filling; cap with a second cookie, dusting with additional confectioner’s sugar, if desired.
These are so delicious! I loved the rosemary version we had yesterday afternoon. Warm and fresh out of the oven, the frosting melted oh-so-perfectly on these cookies. What a great way to end my time with you all before boarding the plane back to ATL! I’ll be making a batch of this dough and storing it in my freezer soon. Since I’ve got lavender on hand, I might add some of that! Thanks for the inspiration.
I’m not very adept at rolling out cookie dough so have been limited to drop cookies. Slicing rounds of cookies is the perfect solution for me. Thanks!
Without a doubt my new favorite teatime cookies. When we baked them the house smelled sweet and delicious, perfect with a cup of earl grey in the afternoon <3
I need to make these right now!
These look so pretty. Would you add the other herbs (if using) to the grated lemon zest or instead of it? I love both lavendar and rosemary in my cookies, lemon-thyme soulds delicious.
Yes, Sharon, I’d use other herbs in addition to the lemon. I added a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary to my last batch of cookie dough. My Sharon is thinking about adding lavender when she makes them, which I think could be really good too. You couldn’t go wrong with fresh or dried ginger. Of course you could add just about any spice you like to this master cookie dough.
These lemon cookies look delightful!
These cookies were an instant hit, everyone loved them! I have a feeling this will be my go-to cookie recipe for a while!