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A stack of five lemon, thyme, and sea-salt shortbreads on a wooden board with a dish of sea salt and a lemon beside them.
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5 / 2 votes

Savory Lemon Shortbread Cookies with Thyme

These savory lemon shortbread cookies are delicate butter cookies infused with lemon and thyme and finished with a sprinkling of sea salt. Excellent with wine and cocktails. Or soups. Snacks. You get the idea.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Servings: 28 shortbreads
Calories: 64

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest, preferably organic
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir the flour, salt, sugar, lemon peel, and thyme together. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms.
  • In a small bowl, blend the lightly beaten egg, egg yolks, and water together. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the egg mixture for brushing.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the remaining egg mixture and blend together with your hands without kneading the dough together. The dough will look a bit crumbly.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough together once or twice, just until it sticks together. Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick disc, wrap in plastic film, and refrigerate until firm, about 1/2 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
  • Remove the shortbread dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place it on a floured work surface. Press the dough into a 6-by-5-inch rectangle. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a larger 10-by-7-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Cut the shortbread dough in half, forming two 5-by-7-inch pieces. Using a pizza wheel or sharp paring knife, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
  • Carefully place the shortbreads on the prepared baking sheet leaving a little room between each cookie. Brush the tops with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle a little coarse sea salt on top. Gently press the salt into the surface of each shortbread.
  • Bake until the shortbreads are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and serve warm or at room temperature. Store the shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1shortbread | Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 274mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g