A cookie stamp dresses up these shortbread cookies that get added flavor from custard powder in the dough. Prettily piped lemon buttercream with a surprise center filling of prepared lemon curd will make these sweet treats a teatime favorite. Pictured with our Strawberry-Coconut Fudge.
Lemon Sandwich Cookies
Serves: 20
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup custard powder*
- Yellow sanding sugar
- Lemon–Vanilla Bean Buttercream (recipe follows)
- ¼ cup lemon curd
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and custard powder. With mixer at low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until dough begins to clump together. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, approximately 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll out dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Using a 1¾-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut 40 rounds from dough without twisting cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary. Using desired cookie stamp** dipped in flour, firmly and evenly press design into each dough round. (Work quickly so dough does not get warm and sticky.) Sprinkle all dough rounds with sanding sugar, and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Freeze until firm, approximately 10 minutes.
- Bake until edges of cookies begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
- Just before serving, place Lemon–Vanilla Bean Buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip (Wilton #4B). Pipe a ring of buttercream onto perimeter of flat side of 20 cookies. Spoon a small amount of lemon curd into center of buttercream rings. Cover with remaining cookies, flat sides down, to make 20 sandwich cookies. Serve immediately, or place in an airtight container, refrigerate, and serve within 2 hours for best texture.
Notes
*We used Bird’s Original Custard Powder.
**We used Nordic Ware Geo Cast Cookie Stamps.
**We used Nordic Ware Geo Cast Cookie Stamps.
Lemon–Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons custard powder*
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and salt with a mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in custard powder, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste. With mixer at low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until combined. Add cream; increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Use immediately.
Notes
*We used Bird’s Original Custard Powder.
