Sour Cream Lemon Curd Cookies
These delicious Lemon Curd Cookies are so tender and soft that they literally just melt in your mouth. They're made with a very lemony sour cream cookie dough that you roll into balls, then press a little well into the middle and fill with homemade lemon curd. The cookies are baked with the lemon curd right in which makes them stable and also sets into a thick, smooth and creamy gel-like consistency. I know that sour cream is not readily available in some countries, so you can absolutely use full fat Greek yogurt and achieve the same results. These cookies are irresistible and will become very popular among lemon lovers. If you love baking with lemon curd, check out my Lemon Curd Crumb Cake too!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Soft and tender sour cream cookies - I love the texture of these cookies because they literally melt in your mouth!
- Bold lemon cookies - lots of lemon zest ensures that these cookies pack a punch with lots of lemon flavor.
- Homemade lemon curd filling - each cookie is baked with my easy homemade lemon curd right into the cookie dough. It sets up to a wonderful, thick and luscious texture.
- Powdered sugar coating - a snowy white coating of powdered sugar gives these cookies a gentle crinkle appearance and also balances the tart lemon curd.
INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON CURD COOKIES
- All purpose flour - unbleached all-purpose flour works great for most cookie doughs.
- Unsalted butter - this recipe uses pure unsalted butter for the best flavor and tender texture. You can also use salted butter and then reduce the added salt.
- Granulated sugar - simple granulated sugar tenderizes these cookies and doesn't interfere with the bright lemon flavor.
- Eggs - one large egg will set these cookies to a soft texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is an excellent back note to lemon. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Sour cream - use full fat sour cream (low fat sour cream has more water and will affect the texture of the cookies) and be sure to level it off. Too much will cause the cookies to spread excessively. If you don't have sour cream where you live, read down below in my FAQ section for my substitution recommendations.
- Lemon curd - I use my easy one pot lemon curd recipe (the version with 1 whole egg and 2 yolks) that really is as delicious as it is easy to make! It's thick and rich in lemon flavor and you can make it up to a week in advance.
- Lemon zest - the cookie dough requires only lemon zest and no juice. Use a full tablespoon from 1 large lemon or two small lemons for the most flavor.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEMON CURD COOKIES
- STEP 1). Blend dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- STEP 2). Cream butter and sugar. Combine soft butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- STEP 3). Mix in egg. Beat in egg until evenly incorporated. Mix in sour cream. Add the flour mixture and fold it in by hand with a spatula until it is just combined.
- STEP 4). Chill the dough. Transfer the sticky dough to a piece of plastic wrap, flour your hands and carefully shape it into a 10-12 inch log. Wrap it well and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- STEP 5). Roll the cookie dough. Slice the log into 18 equal portions and roll each one into a smooth ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and then roll in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Place dough balls onto cookie sheets leaving at least 3 inches of space between them as they spread quite a bit.
- STEP 6). Fill with lemon curd. Use a round ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to make an indent into the center of each dough ball. Fill the indent with a heaped teaspoon of lemon curd.
- STEP 7). Bake. Bake for 3 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 10 minutes until cracked and just lightly golden around the edges and the lemon curd looks matte.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR LEMON CURD COOKIES
- Use room temperature ingredients. Ensure that the butter and egg are at room temperature so that they blend evenly and maintain the air that you've built into the butter during the creaming step.
- Sift the dry ingredients. This is optional, but it will minimize the amount of mixing needed to combine the ingredients evenly so that you do not over-mix the sticky cookie dough.
- Make the lemon curd a day in advance. This will ensure that you get a nice thick set so it will spoon easily and hold up in the cookie dough.
- Chill the cookie dough sufficiently. This dough is quite wet and sticky so it needs time in the fridge for the flour to fully hydrate and for the butter to firm up. It will prevent them from spreading too much and also develop a more prominent lemon flavor.
- Shape the cookie dough with your fingers. When you press the indent into the dough balls for filling with lemon curd, use one hand to gently press it together to keep it from cracking as you press the spoon in to make the indent. If it cracks, simply press and shape it back together with your fingers.
- Leave room for spreading. Space the dough balls out well enough on the baking sheets to allow room for them to spread.
RECIPE FAQ
These cookies are meant to spread out (they are not thumbprint cookies), however if they spread too much then it could be that the dough wasn't chilled long enough or that there is too much moisture in your dough. To prevent this, make sure you measure exactly 2 level tablespoons of sour cream and 225g of flour. Too much sour cream will make them spread and too little flour will also cause them to over-spread.
I highly recommend that you try my one pot lemon curd recipe. It is so simple and has a wonderful flavor and thick texture (make sure you make the version with 2 egg yolks). However, if you are short on time you can use store-bought lemon curd but make sure you understand how they vary in quality. Use one that is made with eggs and butter and no corn starch. That will mean that it has a firmer set and will hold up better in the cookie dough. A lot of shelf-stable lemon curd sold in jars in the supermarket rely on a lot of corn starch to thicken them instead of eggs and butter.
If you can't find sour cream where you live, you can also make these cookies with thick full fat Greek yogurt.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
These cookies will keep well in an airtight container for 2 days at a cool room temperature, and then they are best stored refrigerated for up to 5 days. They are delicious served cold!
I would not recommend freezing these cookies as the texture of the lemon curd will be compromised once thawed and the cookies will be very soft.
Gimme more lemon!
Looking for more recipes with lemon? Try these:
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Sour Cream Lemon Curd Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups plus 1 tbsp (225g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon (30ml) full fat sour cream (make sure it's leveled)
- powdered sugar for rolling
1 x recipe for One Pot Lemon Curd with 1 whole egg and 2 yolks
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine soft butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg until evenly incorporated. Mix in sour cream. Add the flour mixture and fold it in by hand with a spatula until it is just combined.
- Transfer the sticky dough to a piece of plastic wrap, flour your hands and carefully shape it into a 10-12 inch log. Wrap it well and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (NOTE: you will not bake at 375 for the whole time. You will need to lower the temperature to 350 after 3 minutes). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the log into 18 equal portions and roll each one into a smooth ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and then roll in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Place dough balls onto cookie sheets leaving at least 3 inches of space between them as they spread quite a bit.
- Use a round ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to make an indent into the center of each dough ball. When you press the indent into the dough balls for filling with lemon curd, use one hand to gently press it together to keep it from cracking as you press the spoon in to make the indent. If it cracks, simply press and shape it back together with your fingers. Fill the indent with a heaped teaspoon of lemon curd. Bake for 3 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 10 minutes until cracked and just lightly golden around the edges and the lemon curd looks matte.
- Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them individually to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar once they are cooled and serve!
I can't wait to make these lemon curd cookies this weekend and of course eat them. I can already smell them.
Thank you Sharon! 🙂
Tried your lemon curd crumb cake and it was delicious! Exploring other lemon recipes now. Am I able to mix the ingredients together using a whisk by hand instead of hand mixer?
Thank you Sarahjane! Yes you can. It will just take a bit more time.
Hi, can you confirm the flour weight in this recipe? 1 1/2 cup + 1TBS =252grams?
In the FAQ you said 215grams of flour.
Please confirm? Thanks!
Hi NR! The recipe card is correct for 225g.
Would crème fraiche work as well as sour cream?
Hi Val, yes crème fraiche or full fat Greek yogurt are suitable substitutes.
So yummy!!! the cookie balances out the lemon curd amazingly!!! and turned out great with gluten free flour will definitely be making again
Could I make these a few days in advance and keep the dough in the fridge until I’m ready to bake them ?
Hi Iris! Yes you can. Be sure to wrap the dough well so it doesn't dry out and bring it to room temp before portioning and baking.
So so good!
Looks a little complex but actually so easy to make. Just the right amount of sour to sweet!
Thanks Debbie!
Do these cookies have to be refrigerated or can I store them at room temperature because the lemon curd has been baked?
Hi Alyssa, they keep at room temperature for 2 days, then I would refrigerate them.
I am not a baker, but I am a lover of big goods. These recipes are so simple and easy to follow. It’s almost impossible to follow it up and my goodness. The lemon curd is amazing. This is my new favorite cookie.👌🏽
Everyone absolutely loved these cookies, several people joked that they looked like fried eggs once they spread, but the taste was absolutely phenomenal. I'm actually making another batch right now, but I made your strawberry curd instead of the lemon curd this time to get sort of a strawberry lemonade type of cookie. I think they'll taste amazing!
OMG the strawberry lemonade cookie sounds so good!
I measured everything with a scale, but these had too much spread for me.
OMG , these are amazing!!!
Hands down my favourite cookie.
I made a double batch and gave
some to a friend.
We both love lemon, so it
was a win all the way around.
Time consuming was so worth
it.
All the recipes I’ve tried so far
have been fantastic.
I love to bake and your recipes
are exciting, amazing and
innovative.
Thanks so much.
Thanks so so much Lynn!
If you love lemon these cookies are amazing
Thanks Deborah!
My new favorite! wow. Lemony, buttery, not too sweet. Do you think making them in muffin tins can help with the spread?
Wow! Delicious!!!
Thank you Lisa!
Holy moley! Just made this and wow it rocks. Lemony, buttery, sweet but not too sweet. Thanks for my new favorite cookie. Do you think I can use a muffin tin to prevent the spreading of the cookie dough? Mine were flat but delish.
Hi,
Cookies tasted delicious but completely flattened out - any idea what I’ve done wrong?
Hi Carina, it could be that you added too much sour cream, or that you didn't add enough flour. Make sure you use level tablespoons of sour cream and weight your flour with a scale.
Definitely a keeper. They truly melt in your mouth? I’m glad I discovered this recipe! Perfectly balanced sweetness, tartness and even the salt shines through!
Thank you so much Noel!
These are delicious and they melt in your mouth.
Thanks Molly!
Made a double batch just because I knew they would work out well for the pot luck tomorrow.
Lemon curd. Easy.
Cookies - my OCD made me weigh each individual dough before rolling in sugar. Next time I may use a cookie scoop
Perfect texture! And delish. Soft and tender and lemony. They look like sunny side up eggs. So cute.
Thanks Elaine! I love that you made a double batch.
I made these for my family, and they all loved it very much! I'm wondering if I could substitute the sour cream for greek yoghurt at all?!?
Made these and loved them!
These cookies are delightful! I love the idea of sour cream in the cookie dough and they are so tender. Your lemon curd recipe is my favorite so I knew I would love these.
Thank you Diane, I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Thank you Diane!