Lemon thyme shortbread cookies

5 from 2 votes

Delicate and buttery, these lemon thyme shortbread cookies melt in your mouth and are simple to make.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Cooling Time10

Total Time1 10

Course: Cookie recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: small cookies

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Cheryl Bennett

2 cups all purpose flour // 240g
2/3 c. sugar // 133g
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp. lemon thyme leaves *see note for substitution + extra for garnish
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt *see note
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes // 2 sticks // 226g
1 tsp. flaky sea salt
1 tsp. coarse sanding sugar or demerara sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F // 160°C // Gas mark 3.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, pulse together flour, sugar, lemon thyme, kosher salt and lemon zest.
Add cubes of cold butter and pulse until crumbs form. The mixture should look sandy, it should not be smooth.
Add mixture to an ungreased 8x8 pan, and press dough down to flatten. (I like to use a flexible plastic bench scraper to clean up the edges and press the top of the dough flat).
Using a fork, skewer or toothpick, dock the dough (make holes in it) to let the steam escape.
Sprinkle the top with 1 teaspoon each of coarse sugar and flaky sea salt, if desired.
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, to ensure even baking.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove from pan and gently cut shortbread while it is still warm.
Place cookies on wire rack to cool completely. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

To substitute fresh lemon thyme, use regular thyme + 1 tbsp. lemon juice.
I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton's, reduce the amount by almost half. If you use fine sea salt, reduce the amount to 1/2 tsp.
Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can refrigerate them for up to another week, but freezing them will keep them even longer. Cookies can dry out in the fridge, so eating them sooner rather than later is best.