Lemon Shortbread Trees Recipes

LEMON SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Make Classic Shortbread dough, beating 1 teaspoon lemon zest with the butter. Mix 2 cups confectioners' sugar with the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Spread over the finished shortbread and sprinkle with yellow decorating sugar. Slice into squares.

LEMON SHORTBREAD TREES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, confectioners' sugar and cornstarch until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice. Gradually add flour and mix well., Divide dough into two portions; shape each into two 6-in. logs. Flatten top and push in sides at an angle to form a 2x2x1-1/2-in.-triangle. Wrap and chill until firm, for 4 hours., Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Break pretzel sticks in half; press into short side of each cookie for tree trunk. Bake at 350° 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, water and meringue powder; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove 1 cup and tint red. Tint remaining icing green. (Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth.), Frost and decorate cookies as desired. Let dry at room temperature for several hours or until firm. Store in an airtight container.

LEMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in lemon zest and juice.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
• Halve dough, and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Bake until pale golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Next, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme and mix again. Finally, add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and flatten into a 1" disk. If the dough is sticky, wrap and chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm but still pliable.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼" thick. If desired, you can roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Use 2" cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Keep any extra cut-out cookies in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

ENGLISH LEMON SHORTBREAD STRIPS

Steps:

• HEAT OVEN TO 350°.
• Combine butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel in large mixer bowl.
• Beat at medium speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low.
• Add flour; beat until crumbly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Press dough evenly into lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly brown.
• Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and lemon juice in small bowl. Using wire whisk, mix until smooth.
• Spread thin layer of glaze over cooled shortbread; sprinkle with lemon peel.
• Let stand for 30 minutes to set.
• Cut into strips.

SHORTBREAD WITH LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Sift flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Press softened butter into flour mixture and combine until blended. Pat stiff dough into two 9x13-inch pans forming even layers. Pierce through dough with a fork every 1/2-inch in lines parallel to the long sides of the pans; use a clean yard stick laid across the pan as a guide to make straight rows. Chill dough until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 11 minutes. Cut into rows using fork marks, again using a yardstick as a pan guide. Cut rows into 3-inch lengths to make fingers. Cool completely in the pan.
• Meanwhile, beat eggs in a bowl. Stir in sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, and lemon rind. Pour into the top of a double boiler set over simmering water; cook and stir until thick and smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool at room temperature.
• Serve shortbread fingers with lemon curd.

LEMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease large baking sheet. Sift flour and 1/3 cup sugar into large bowl. Add butter and lemon peel; rub with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add lemon juice; press mixture with hands until dough holds together. Turn out dough onto lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in half. Gather each half into ball.
• Place dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly. Flatten each into 5 1/2-inch round. Crimp edges decoratively with fingertips or fork. Using sharp knife, score 6 wedges into each round. Pierce surface all over with fork. Bake until light brown and firm to touch, about 50 minutes. Cut into wedges along scored lines. Cool 10 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over shortbreads on baking sheet. Transfer to rack; cool. (Can be made 4 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

LEMON-ROSEMARY CUTOUT TREES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, rosemary, lemon zest and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut out 30 trees, using a floured 3-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter; cut out 30 stars, using a floured 1/2-in. star-shaped cookie cutter., Place trees 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Place stars 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on pan. Attach stars to trees with frosting.