Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies
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Bright, zesty, and buttery, these lemon thyme shortbread cookies are little bites of sunshine. I dare you to stop at just one (spoiler: you won’t).
These lemon thyme shortbread cookies are a favorite in our house, especially with my daughter, who lights up every time she sees them on the counter. I love how the bright lemon zest and subtle thyme make them feel both fresh and cozy. They’re buttery, crisp, and just the right amount of sweet. We often bake a double batch because they disappear fast—my daughter usually sneaks one (or two!) while they’re still cooling.
A few ingredient notes
You’ll need to pull out the usual cookie ingredients like butter, flour, and sugar, plus some thyme.
Thyme: I think it’s important to use fresh thyme. Often, store-bought dried thyme has a slightly mouldy smell and we definitely don’t want that flavor in our cookies. Pick up a package of fresh thyme from the store or snip a few stems from the thyme in your garden.
Flowers: If you have thyme flowers, I think they make the prettiest decorations. You could also use other small edible flowers such as lavender or pansies. Or simply use some fresh thyme leaves!
These cookies, with their flecks of green, are pretty all on their own. But decorating them adds sweet lemony flavor and makes them even more beautiful.
The glaze is a simple mixture of powdered sugar and lemon juice, which you can adjust to make it as thick or thin as you prefer. Drizzle, dip, dollop, or swirl it on the cookies, then sprinkle them with fresh thyme leaves.
For the fully coated cookies, hold on to the edges and dunk them into the bowl of glaze. Let the excess drip back into the bowl before putting the cookie down.
Tip → Sprinkle the thyme leaves and flowers right after you glaze each cookie. The glaze will act like glue, holding the leaves in place after it dries.
How to store and freeze
Store: You can store these on a plate on your counter for up to a week. I usually cover the plate lightly with parchment paper or a beeswax food wrap.
Freeze: Let the baked cookies cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze for about an hour. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-proof container or freezer bag with parchment between layers, and freeze for up to 3 months
Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Thyme leaves and flowers (to garnish)
Instructions
- Position a baking rack in the middle of your oven and preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, thyme, and salt.3 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon juice using electric beaters until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.1 cup butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough looks crumbly, about 2 minutes.
- Use your hands to bring the dough together. It is quite dry so it won't come together into a nice ball, but squish it together as best as you can.
- Put the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and use your hands to press it together and flatten it. Roll out the dough so that it is ½ inch thick then use a cookie cutter (I like using a 2-inch round shape) to cut out the cookies. Re-roll the leftover dough and cut cookies until there is no more dough left. Place the cookies on cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each one.
- Place the cookies on cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each one.
- Bake your cookies for 12-14 minutes, until the are very light golden brown on their bottoms. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies or dip the tops of the cookies into it. Decorate the tops with fresh thyme leaves and flowers.½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Thyme leaves and flowers
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Love cookies? Check out all of my cookie recipes.
