Easy, Soft Lemon Cookies With Lemon Curd & Buttermilk Recipe

They're like edible rays of sunshine

These irresistibly puffy cookies—think Lofthouse but without the caked-on frosting—come courtesy of Anna Gordon, pastry chef and founder of Brooklyn's The Good Batch. They both taste and look like summer sunshine, and are dressed up with a sweet-tart lemon curd that'll have you wishing everything would come with a side of curd.

Keep the lemon dessert ball rolling with Joanna Gaines's lemon pie recipe.

Recipe adapted from Anna Gordon, The Good Batch, Brooklyn, NY

Buttermilk Sunshine Cookies
5 from 50 ratings
Learn how to make this soft buttermilk cookie recipe, which calls for aneasy homemade lemon curd topper, courtesy of The Good Batch in Brooklyn.  
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
Servings
30
cookies
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
  • For the Curd
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 7 egg yolks
  • For the Dough
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1⅓ cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
  1. Make the curd: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the lemon juice, sugar and butter to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a medium glass or metal bowl.
  2. Make a circle with a wet dish towel and nest the bowl of eggs inside to stabilize it. Once the butter has melted and the ingredients in the pot are simmering, remove from the heat and, while quickly whisking the yolks, slowly drizzle a quarter of the hot liquid into the yolks.
  3. Keep whisking constantly so that you evenly start to cook the yolks without making scrambled eggs. Pour the rest of the liquid into the bowl while whisking.
  4. Pour everything back into the pot, and over medium-low heat, whisk the curd continually until it thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. The curd is finished when it can coat the back of a spoon without dripping off.
  5. Pour the curd into a clean, cool bowl and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to avoid a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator to set.
  6. While the curd is setting, make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the 2 flours with the baking soda and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.
  7. Combine the sugar and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the buttermilk, then add the melted butter until fully incorporated. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  8. Add half of the flour mixture and gently combine. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
  9. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove from the oven, and using the back of a tablespoon, make a deep indent into each cookie. (If you like lemon curd a lot, make the dent wide and deep.) 10. Put the cookies back in the oven for 5 to 7 more minutes, or until the edges just start to show a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  10. Once the cookies have fully cooled, fill the dents with curd, using a spoon or a disposable piping bag. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 175
Total Fat 7.6 g
Saturated Fat 4.4 g
Trans Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 56.8 mg
Total Carbohydrates 24.4 g
Dietary Fiber 0.4 g
Total Sugars 13.5 g
Sodium 75.8 mg
Protein 2.4 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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