Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Name: This Easy Shortbread Tastes Fancy but Is a Snap To Make
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3/4 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Zest of 1 lemon; Turbinado or granulated sugar, for sprinkling, optional

You do not need a stand mixer for this recipe; a wooden spoon or hands will work.
The combination of lemon and rosemary creates a unique twist on classic shortbread.
This buttery cookie fits year-round occasions, from casual get-togethers to charcuterie boards.

When I was a child, I hated rosemary. I could smell it in a dish from a mile away. It was the one flavor that used to turn my stomach, so much so that my mother didn’t keep it in the house. As an adult, my feelings about rosemary have done a complete 180. I love the earthy taste it brings to everything: vegetables, grilled meats, compound butter, and even cookies!

Round shortbread cookies with a textured surface displayed on a plate — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Everyone Loves My Lemon Rosemary Shortbread

Shortbread is a year-round staple in my house. It’s a quick and easy way to get that buttery cookie fix, and you can add so many things to shortbread to customize it. A few years ago, I was heading to a game night with a friend, and I knew there would be a lot of new people to meet. I really wanted to make a good impression, so I planned to make shortbread.

At the time, I was obsessed with the idea of savory desserts, so I chopped a bunch of rosemary and added it to my shortbread. Luckily, the herby rosemary mixed beautifully with the buttery and slightly sweet shortbread. The cookies were a hit.

Lemon rosemary shortbread cookies arranged on parchment paper — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

No Mixer Needed

These cookies are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. If you want to surprise your friends or guests with a dessert they might never have experienced before, this is the easiest way to do it. They also seem much fancier than they really are, which makes you look like a pro, so it’s a win-win!

I developed this recipe without a mixer because I wanted it to be as accessible as possible. You can use a hand or stand mixer in steps two and three if you like, but you can also make this recipe with nothing more than a wooden spoon and clean hands.

I’ve shared these cookies with many friends and family members over the years, and the consensus is that they are the perfect bite to add to a charcuterie board or to munch on with some spicy chai. No matter what you eat these with, I hope you enjoy making them!

A plate of round shortbread cookies with one partially eaten garnished with rosemary — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

More Easy Cookies for the Cookie Box

Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Chilling Time 30 mins

Total Time 60 mins

Servings 20 servings

Yield 40 cookies

You can shape your dough any way you like. Some people find it easier to roll the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut out rectangular or square cookies.

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2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (85g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Turbinado or granulated sugar, for sprinkling, optional

Beat the butter and sugar:

To a large bowl, add the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until the texture is similar to loose icing, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add flour, rosemary, salt, and lemon:

Add the flour, rosemary, salt, and lemon zest and stir into the butter mixture. As the butter begins to absorb the flour, it will start to look crumbly. Keep mixing!

Once the flour is mostly incorporated, use clean hands to bring the dough together. Don’t knead it, but rather, press the dough together until it sticks to itself and forms a ball.
Divide and refrigerate:

Divide the dough in half. Place half of the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Mold the dough into a log 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in the plastic wrap, and roll back and forth until smooth. Repeat with the remaining dough, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Slice and bake the cookies:

Remove 1 log of dough from the fridge. Unwrap the dough, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and place the slices 1 inch apart on one of the prepared baking sheets. If desired, lightly poke the tops of the cookies with a fork.

Sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar, if using. Bake until the cookies are light brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, and let cool for at least 10 minutes. While one batch of cookies is cooling, slice and bake the remaining dough.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
153	Calories
9g	Fat
16g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories	153
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	12%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 24mg	8%
Sodium 55mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 0g	2%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 6mg	0%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 20mg	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.