Soft + Chewy Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
Amycakes Bakes | amycakesbakes.com
These soft and chewy lemon curd cookies taste like sunshine in every bite! With tangy lemon curd nestled in our vanilla almond sugar cookie dough, they're the ideal treat for summer picnics, spring celebrations, or elevating any cookie tray. They get rave reviews every single time and disappear almost instantly!
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dry Ingredients
- 400 grams (3 cups) All-Purpose Flour (I use Gold Medal)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 4 teaspoons Instant Clearjel or 2 Tablespoon s Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (Make sure whichever you use is labeled as INSTANT.)
Sugar Cookie Creamed Ingredients
- 2 stick 8 ounces Salted Butter (soft to the touch)
- 200 grams (1 cup) Granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
Lemon Curd Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Instant Clearjel Feel free to use 1 tablespoon for a runnier, softer curd.
- 100 grams (½ cup) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Lemons zested (zested; (reserve the juice))
- ½ cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4 Egg Yolks
- ½ stick 2 ounces Salted Butter
Instructions
Make the Lemon Curd
- Whisk the sugar and instant clearjel well together. Set aside.100 grams (½ cup) Granulated Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Instant Clearjel
- Whisk the lemon juice and egg yolks together in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, just until it comes to a boil.½ cup Fresh Lemon Juice, 4 Egg Yolks
- Remove from heat and add the 2 ounces room temperature butter to the lemon mixture, stirring until the butter is melted and well blended. Pour the hot lemon curd base through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps or egg strands.½ stick
- Slowly whisk in the instant clearjel mixture to the lemon curd, a little at a time, until the instant clearjel mixture is fully incorporated and dissolved. Stir in the lemon zest. The lemon curd will thicken, but will continue to thicken as it cools. This lemon curd is thicker and has a more textured appearance than traditional lemon curd due to the starch that thickens it, but it has a smooth mouthfeel.2 Large Lemons
- Allow the lemon curd to cool and get cold in the fridge until you're ready to use it, ideally for two hours or overnight. Stir before using.
Make the Sugar Cookie Dough
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the Dry Ingredients until well mixed and set aside.400 grams (3 cups) All-Purpose Flour (I use Gold Medal), 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar, 4 teaspoons Instant Clearjel or 2 Tablespoon, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (preferred) or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the soft butter and sugar just until the butter is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.2 stick, 200 grams (1 cup) Granulated Sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla and almond extracts. Continue to beat on medium. The mixture will separate at first, but keep beating until it comes back together into a uniform mixture, scraping the bowl as needed.2 large Eggs, 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract, ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
- On low, slowly pour the whisked dry ingredients into the dough, and continue to mix just until it is fully incorporated and a smooth and uniform dough. Avoid overbeating.
Shape the cookies
- Use a 2 oz cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough and roll it into round balls. Arrange evenly on a large baking sheet.
- Using a dampened tablespoon, your thumb, or a rolling pin handle, press down onto each cookie dough ball to leave a cavity.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until just barely golden brown on the bottom. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool all the way.
- Once fully cooled, fill the center of each cookie with lemon curd. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve.