Lemon Tea Cookies

Name: Lemon Tea Cookies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: about 4-1/2 dozen
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 large egg yolk, room temperature; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts; FILLING:; 3 tablespoons butter, softened; 4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice; 3/4 teaspoon grated orange zest; 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar; 2 drops yellow food coloring, optional

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

17 Reviews

Total Time:Prep: 25 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

By Taste Of Home Editorial Team

Recipe by Phyllis Dietz

Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated on Mar. 09, 2023

These sandwich cookies taste rich and buttery and have a lovely lemon filling. The recipe has been in our family since the 1950s, when my mother got it from a French friend in her club. —Phyllis Dietz, Westland, Michigan

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

Lemon Tea Cookies

Contest Winner

17 Reviews Add your review

Yield:about 4-1/2 dozen

Prep:25 min

Cook:10 min

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Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
filling:

3 tablespoons butter, softened
4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 drops yellow food coloring, optional

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Directions

1
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well.

2
Divide dough in half and shape each half into a 14-in. roll; reshape each roll into a 14x1-1/8x1-1/8-in. block. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3
Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle half the cookies with nuts, gently pressing into dough.
4
Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
5
In a small bowl, cream the butter, lemon juice and orange zest until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Tint yellow if desired. Spread about 1 teaspoon filling on bottoms of the plain cookies; place nut-topped cookies over filling.