Breakfast Baking
Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies with Honey Glaze Recipe
Original recipe: 24 servings · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 80 min
By Beginnerbakes Editorial TeamPublished Apr 16, 2026 | Updated Oct 17, 2026
American
80 mins
Beginner-friendlyEasyStep By StepNo Fuss
This easy Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies recipe combines buttery, crumbly shortbread with fresh lemon zest and fragrant thyme, topped with a sweet honey glaze. Perfect for beginner bakers and ideal as a summer party snack or treat. Estimated timing (not kitchen-tested): preparation 15 minutes; cooking 20 minutes; additional elapsed time 45 minutes; total about 80 minutes. Additional time includes the relevant cooling, chilling, soaking, marinating or resting stages. Cooling varies with room temperature and portion size. Times are planning estimates based on the instructions. Follow the stated doneness and temperature checks, and extend cooking or cooling as needed.
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
80 min
Servings
24
Difficulty
easy
Cuisine
American
Ingredients
Servings
24
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Add the fresh lemon zest and chopped thyme leaves to the butter mixture and stir to combine evenly.
-
Sift together the all-purpose flour and salt in a separate bowl to ensure no lumps. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing; the dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
-
Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and gently knead it just until it comes together.
-
Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness using a rolling pin. If the dough sticks, sprinkle a little flour on the surface and rolling pin.
-
Use a cookie cutter or a knife to cut the dough into desired shapes (traditional rectangles or rounds work well). Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
-
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden. Keep a close eye to avoid over-browning.
-
While the cookies bake, prepare the honey glaze by whisking together the honey and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl.
-
When the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
-
Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top of each warm cookie with the honey-lemon mixture. Let the glaze set as the cookies cool completely.
-
Once cooled, serve immediately or store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Timing and preparation
Allow 18-20 minutes baking, 5 minutes on the tray and additional cooling and glaze-setting time. Bake in additional batches if needed.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, as the method specifies.
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