Lemon Biscuits

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

Bursting with vibrant lemon flavor, these easy lemon biscuits are perfect for any occasion! Whether you’re planning a cozy tea party or simply looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, these tangy treats will impress! With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a batch of these lemon shortbread cookies ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes.

These bright and tangy lemon biscuits are my new favorite treat!

I love serving these lemony biscuits for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up with a hot cup of tea. The fresh lemon flavor really shines through in each bite, thanks to zesting and juicing real lemons for this recipe.

Kids and adults alike will love these melt-in-your-mouth lemon treats. They come together quickly with pantry staples like flour, sugar, and butter, making them easy to whip up anytime.

They have the perfect balance of sweet and tart, which makes them so addicting. The soft, moist texture just melts in your mouth. I know these will become your new go-to cookie recipe!

Keep a batch in the cookie jar so you always have some on hand. Enjoy them plain or dip them in milk for extra yumminess. They’re also perfect for a cozy afternoon tea or as a sweet treat any time of the day. However you serve them, this buttery biscuit recipe is sure to be a hit!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Packed With Lemon Flavor: Lemon zest adds a burst of flavor to these easy-to-make homemade biscuits, perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea.
• Simple And Delicious: Made with a handful of basic ingredients, this easy recipe delivers buttery, melt-in-your-mouth drop biscuits that evoke a taste of home and make for a delightful and simple bake.
• Freezer-Friendly Treats: Shape and freeze the dough for later to enjoy these irresistible lemon biscuits whenever you crave a delicious homemade treat.
• Perfect for Afternoon Tea: This delicious lemon recipe is the ideal accompaniment for a cozy afternoon tea, offering a taste of home with a simple yet satisfying recipe.
• Effortless: Baking enthusiasts and beginners alike will appreciate this straightforward recipe, producing buttery lemon biscuits that are pure bliss.

Latest Recipe Video!

🥘 Ingredients

To create these crisp lemon biscuits, you will need the following simple ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure and stability to the dough. Make sure to sift and property measure your flour to avoid dense, heavy cookies. 
• Baking Soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps the biscuits rise during baking. When combined with lemon juice, it creates a reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used in the lemon biscuits recipe to contribute to the tenderness and delicate texture of the biscuits. It helps to create a more tender crumb by inhibiting gluten development.
• Butter: Butter adds richness, flavor, and moisture to these lemon biscuits. The softened butter is creamed with sugar to create a light and fluffy texture in the dough. It also helps achieve a tender, buttery crumb in the finished biscuits.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is used to sweeten the biscuits and balances out the tartness of the lemon. Sugar also helps the edges of the cookies crisp up slightly during baking. 
• Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent in the lemon biscuit dough, helping to hold the cookies together and provide structure. They also make the cookies moist.
• Lemon Zest: Lemon zest refers to the finely grated outer peel of the lemon. It contains fragrant oils that provide intense lemon flavor and fragrance to these lemon butter biscuits. 
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a burst of tanginess to the biscuits. It contributes to the overall flavor and acidity of the dough. The acidity of lemon juice also reacts with the baking soda, making the cookies rise. 
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar, is used as a final touch to dust the cooled lemon biscuits. It adds a touch of sweetness and enhances the appearance of the lemon cream biscuits. 

🍲 Substitutions

• All-Purpose Flour: You can use whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour blend, or almond flour as alternatives to all-purpose flour. However, keep in mind that the texture and flavor will differ slightly. Self-rising flour is also a good substitute; adjust the sodium bicarbonate accordingly.
• Butter: If you don’t have unsalted butter, substitute it with an equal amount of margarine, coconut oil, or vegan butter.
• Sugar: For sugar substitutions, you can try using coconut sugar or brown sugar in the same quantity as this recipe for lemon cookies requires. Caster sugar is also a good option. Additionally, artificial sweeteners like stevia can be used, but remember to adjust the amount as they are generally sweeter than sugar.
• Egg: If you need to replace eggs in this simple recipe, options include using ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce, yogurt, or blended silken tofu for each egg required.
• Powdered Sugar: If you don’t have powdered sugar (otherwise known as icing sugar), you can make it at home by blending regular granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until it reaches a powdered consistency.

🔪 How To Make Lemon Biscuits

It’s time to bring these irresistible lemon biscuits to life! Follow our simple instructions to whip up this easy biscuit recipe that will leave everyone wanting more. Get ready to bake up a batch of pure cookie magic!

Mix Dry Ingredients: The first step is to whisk the flour, baking soda, and cornstarch together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cream Butter And Sugar: Place the softened butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a mixing bowl and an electric mixer for this step.

Beat together for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add Wet Ingredients: Next, add the egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Continue to beat until well incorporated.

Add Dry Ingredients: Combine half of the flour mixture and beat until it just comes together. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat for another 30 seconds to form a dough.

Chill Dough Balls: Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out 16 balls of dough and place them on the parchment paper lined baking tray or cookie sheet. Place the trays into the fridge for 1 hour.

Bake: Gently press down on the top of each ball of dough and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Allow to these lemon butter cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before sprinkling with powdered sugar and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Serve And Enjoy! Serve this Italian lemon cookies recipe once the biscuits have cooled on the wire rack, or store them for later! 

💭 Expert Tips

• Softened Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature for easier mixing and better texture in your lemon tea cookies.
• Fresh Flavor: Use fresh lemons rather than bottled lemon juice for the best tangy flavor. Use a fine grater or a zester to extract the maximum zest from lemons easily. A dash of lemon oil is also a great way add to the flavor of these cookies!
• Bright Color: For a brighter color, add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring to your biscuit dough so these Italian lemon cookies turn out bright yellow! To avoid artificial colors, you can also use natural food coloring – but it may have a slightly different hue than artificial food coloring.
• Cooled Biscuits: For best results, allow these delicious biscuits to cool completely before dusting them with powdered sugar to ensure it sticks evenly. If you add the powdered sugar to warm biscuits, it will disappear and melt into the biscuit itself!
• Double Up! These lemon puff biscuits keep well, so you can easily make a larger batch and store them for a quick snack later!

📖 Variations

• Lemon Lavender Cookies: Transform the original lemon biscuit recipe by adding dried lavender buds to infuse the dough with a delicate floral aroma. Proceed with the rest of the recipe to create buttery biscuits with the irresistible combination of zesty lemon and fragrant lavender.
• Lemon White Chocolate Cookies: Try folding in white chocolate chips or chunks to the batter. The creamy white chocolate melts during baking, creating pockets of rich sweetness that complement the lemon flavor.
• Other Mix-Ins: Feel free to experiment and add your favorite mix-ins to the biscuit dough, such as chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or other dried fruits.
• Lemon Icing: Prepare a simple glaze using powdered sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over the cookies. Feel free to experiment with different flavors to suit your taste.
• Lemon Coconut Cookies: Infuse a tropical flair by adding a little bit of shredded coconut to the biscuit batter. The coconut provides chewiness and a hint of nutty sweetness!
• Lemon Sandwich Cookies: Bake the lemon biscuits, let them cool, then spread a rich, creamy filling such as lemon buttercream, cream cheese mixed with a little sugar and lemon zest, or a little lemon curd between two biscuits to create a delightful lemon sandwich biscuit.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

• Coffee Or Hot Drinks: Lemon shortbread biscuits are a classic choice to serve alongside a cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon treat. The citrus flavor of the biscuits complements the warmth and richness of these beverages. Try my Biscoff latte recipe, golden turmeric milk latte, or my creamy mocha latte. They are all great companions for this easy lemon biscuits recipe. Not a fan of coffee drinks? No problem! Enjoy your cookie with my oat milk hot chocolate for a decadent treat. 
• Milk: A refreshing glass of cold milk is a perfect pairing for lemon biscuits. Whether you prefer traditional dairy milk or opt for dairy-free alternatives like almond or oat milk, both options wonderfully complement the flavor of the biscuits.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

• Vegan Lemon Cookies: Use vegan butter and a flax egg to make this lemon shortbread cookie recipe vegan.
• Gluten Free Lemon Cookies: Replace the plain flour with a 1:1 gluten free baking flour with xanthan gum. Keep in mind, the texture of the cookies may change slightly.

🫙 Storage Directions

At Room Temperature: Store the baked lemon biscuits in an airtight tin or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat and enjoy warm cookies, place them in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F / 180 C for a few minutes until they are slightly warmed.

Freezing: Let the baked biscuits cool completely. Wrap each one in plastic wrap, then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature or in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave until just warm before enjoying them.

❓Recipe FAQs

🍪 More Delicious Cookie Recipes!

• Powdered Peanut Butter Cookies
• Domino’s Marbled Cookie Brownie
• Mochi Cookies
• Dried Fruit Cookies
• Vegan Breakfast Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Cookies
• Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

📋 Recipe Card