Lemon Shortbread

Lemons, Lemons, Lemons

My mom's favorite citrus.  She LOVES lemons!
She prefers anything lemon.  Lemon cookies, lemon cake, lemon bars, lemon candies, lemon ice cream, and her favorite is lemon meringue pie!

So every once in a while I try to make desserts and dishes that have lemon in it.  I like the savory dishes with lemon, such as lemon chicken.  Mom, she has a major sweet tooth.  So when I decided to add lemon to our shortbread recipe it was right up her alley!

So this Lemon Shortbread is a light, subtly lemon hinted, cookie/bar.  Great with hot tea, at brunch, as a  snack, or dessert.  They are also quick and easy to make.

Oh...and Mom says they are FANTASTIC!

Let's make Lemon Shortbread.

In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add your flour and salt and mix until smooth.  Fold in the lemon zest.  Your dough/batter should look like this.

Spread it evenly out in a 9" pan that has been greased with butter.
Prick the batter with a fork to prevent the dough from gaining air pockets.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20 min.  Don't over bake.  Cookies should be light golden brown and set.

Remove from the oven and cool 10 min in the pan.  Then cut into squares.  Allow cookies to cool completely in the pan before removing (they will break if still hot!)

Enjoy your yummy, moist, buttery, lemony shortbread!

Lemon Shortbread

1/2 c (1 stick) softened butter
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 c flour
pinch of salt
2 t lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer.  Add the flour and salt and mix until smooth and incorporated.  Fold in the lemon zest.

Grease a 9 inch square pan with butter.  Place dough in the pan and spread mixture evenly out to all sides.  Using a fork, prick the dough.

Bake for 20 minutes until light golden.  Cool 10 minutes and cut into 12 squares.  Tip:  Use a serrated knife and they will cut without breaking.  Cool completely before removing from the pan.