These Lemon Ginger with Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies have just the right balance of buttery, citrusy, and nutty. A touch of ground ginger adds gentle warmth that plays nicely with the bright lemon zest, while chopped hazelnuts bring texture. This slice-and-bake dough is perfect for making ahead, ideal for gifting, holiday trays, or simply stashing in the freezer when a cookie craving hits.
This cookie has a bold lemon taste for the ultimate lemon-loving baker. You can never say that the lemon in this cookie takes a back seat in the flavor department.
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My Go To Shortbread Cookies
Citrus and shortbread cookies go very well together. Two of my most popular shortbread cookies are the Cardamom Orange Shortbread Cookies and Rosemary with Lemon and Honey Shortbread Cookies. These are a great introduction to shortbread cookies.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Butter unsalted
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- All-purpose flour
- Ground ginger
- Baking powder
- Kosher Salt
- Hazelnuts
Ingredient Notes!
Lemon Zest – This recipe calls for a lot of lemon zest and the reason is that with shortbread cookies the flavors seem to mellow out on the second day after they are baked. I find that if you do not make a punch of flavor up front it starts to lose some of that flavor in a few days. But you can certainly reduce the lemon zest to 2 tablespoons instead of 3.
Hazelnuts – I buy my hazelnuts already skinned, chopped, and ready to go. But if you can't find them here is a website to show you how to easily peel the skins off of whole hazelnuts Will Cook For Friends. You may also like to try roasting the hazelnuts for added flavor. Then just chop them to the size you like.
Step-by-Step for Making Lemon Ginger Shortbread Cookies
Prep the Dry Ingredients
Weigh your sugar into a bowl and set it aside. In another bowl weigh or measure the flour. Add the ginger, baking powder, and salt whisking to blend.
Zest and Juice the Lemons
Now I zest and juice two medium or three small lemons. I cut the ends off before I zest them. It makes it so much easier to zest the top and bottom of these lemons.
Make the Dough
1. Cube the butter into a mixer bowl and cream the butter for a minute or two until it is creamy looking.
2. Add the powdered sugar to the butter and mix on a medium mixer speed for 3 minutes. It will be a lighter color and very creamy and fluffy looking.
3. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix until incorporated.
4. I scrape down the bowl and add about a third of the flour at a time. Don't overmix.
5. Add the hazelnuts and mix for about 15 seconds.
On your pastry mat sprinkle some of the powdered sugar before adding the cookie dough. Knead the cookie dough to make sure all the bits of flour have been incorporated and the hazelnuts are distributed evenly.
Form a log with the cookie dough about 17-18 inches. I use a baguette pan to keep my logs round while they are in the fridge chilling.
Wrap the cookie log with plastic wrap. Make sure the ends are covered as well.
Set the wrapped cookie log on the baguette pan and chill for at least 45 minutes. It is easier to slice the log if it is pretty solid.
I left mine in the refrigerator overnight and baked them the next day. I often do that with this type of cookie.
Baking Tip!
- Let dough chill fully for clean slices
- Use a cutting board and a sharp knife for cutting the slices
- Optional sugar crust on edges before baking - helps cut through the sharp lemon taste
Chill, Slice, and Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
I have a cutting board and a sharp knife so cutting through the hazelnuts will be a breeze. So I can have consistent cookie sizes I do use a ruler to score the log before I cut my slices.
I make my cookies ¾ of an inch thick. I got 26 cookies out of the log. These cookies do not spread much, so if you have a couple extra like I did just move them around to fit the extra 2 cookies on the sheet pan. I leave about 1 inch or more between cookies.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Move them to a cooling rack after pulling the pan from the oven. I sprinkle some powdered sugar on top after they have cooled.
Enjoy!
Faqs
Candied ginger would add a chewy component to the cookies. I would make sure they are cut into small pieces though simply because you have the hazelnut pieces. Too many chunks in your shortbread can make them crumbly and fall apart.
Fresh grated ginger can be substituted for ground but since there is more moisture in the fresh, you may want to decrease the lemon juice. Fresh also has a sharper bite than ground. It might change the flavor of the cookie.
According to Tastingtable .com it is the easiest to freeze. You can also check out The Spruce Eats and Better Homes and Gardens on their recommendations for freezing shortbread cookies. I know you can freeze cookie dough but I am on short supply of space in my freezer and I just love eating freshly made cookies.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. The flavor often develops even more on the second day.
Recipe
Lemon Ginger with Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams) Butter unsalted room temperature
- ⅔ cup (80 grams) Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Lemon zest
- 2 cups (250 grams) All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ cup (60 grams) Hazelnuts
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on top
Instructions
- Weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger into a bowl. Run a whisk through to blend, then set aside. In another small bowl, weigh or measure the powdered sugar and set aside. Next, zest and juice the lemons, keeping the zest and juice in separate containers.
- In a stand or handheld mixer bowl, cube the butter. On a medium speed cream the butter for 1–2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Increase to medium and mix for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and finish blending the sugar into the butter. Add the lemon juice and zest, mixing until incorporated.
- Reduce the speed again and add the flour mixture about a ½ at a time. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides and across the bottom, then add the hazelnuts. Mix on low for about 15 seconds, just until the hazelnuts are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Transfer the dough from the bowl onto a hard surface or pastry mat lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Check to make sure all the flour has been incorporated. I use a baguette pan to help keep the roll round during chilling, so I shape the roll to about 17–18 inches in length. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Remove the log from the refrigerator, unwrap the plastic wrap, and score it every ¾ inch to ensure evenly sized cookies. Now using a sharp knife slice the cookies and add 12 or 13 to a pan. They do not spread much when baking, so you should be able to fit all the cookies on two pans. Bake for 12–14 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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