Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies

Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies are bite-size buttery, shortbread cookies with a refreshing flavor of lemon and an underlying subtle flavor of thyme.  These melt-in-your-mouth tea cookies rolled in powdered sugar, make them irresistible!  They make the perfect little treat when you need one and go perfectly with your afternoon coffee or tea.

Good News!!  This recipe for these lemon thyme tea cookies requires little effort. 

A few years ago we made our favorite Coconut Cherry Shortbread Cookies and decided to try a new flavor.  And why not? 

Small, bite-sized cookies, similar to Russian Tea Cookies and our Snow Ball Christmas Cookies, are loaded with lemon and thyme flavors and incredibly melt in your mouth instantly!

For this recipe, these delicious cookies are made with butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh thyme, powdered sugar, and flour. 

Ingredients Needed for Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies…

To make these easy delicious tea cookies, you will need:

•  butter (1 stick is enough)

•  powdered sugar

•  lemon juice

•  lemon zest (zest of two small lemons)

•  vanilla extract

•  fresh thyme

•  all-purpose flour (or GF flour)

How To Make Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies… (full recipe card below)

1.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar together for about 1 to 2 minutes.

2.  Add in salt, thyme, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat until well combined. Then gradually beat in the flour. Cookie dough will be very soft.

3.  Drop small balls using the smallest ice cream scoop, (or roll into balls with the palm of your hand) onto non-greased cookie sheets, making balls, larger than a nickel but smaller than a quarter.

5.  Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are browning around the edges and golden brown on the bottoms. 

Quick TIP: It’s best to lift one cookie and check to see if it is fully baked and ready.

6.  Remove and allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes. Then transfer to a cookie rack to cool.

7.  When cookies have cooled down, gently roll each cookie into the powdered sugar while they are slightly warm.  Keep in mind, if cookies are too warm, and can fall apart easily while rolling them in powdered sugar.

Delicious, lemon thyme tea cookies with a delicate texture are SO good, you can’t eat just one.

This recipe will make a generous amount of cookies, about 3 dozen.  Perfect for entertaining. 

Best part?  They are whipped up in one bowl and baked for 10 to 12 minutes.  Plus, no need to wrap and chill the dough beforehand.  (yah!)

Enjoy them in the afternoon with your tea or coffee, or make them for Mother’s Day.  

Try them and enjoy!!

Baking Notes and Tips…

• These cookies will not brown on top, so don’t wait and look for that.  They bake quickly and the best way to tell if they are done is to lift one cookie up to check the bottom.

• I like to keep my fresh herbs in the freezer, so mine were freeze-dried.  That’s why the color of my thyme was a pale green, rather than a bright green in my photo.

• Always remove and discard the stems from the thyme.  Only use the thyme leaves.

• If you make the balls slightly larger, then more baking time is needed.  So keep an eye on them. 

Storing and Freezing…

• Store these cookies in a sealed container.  They will stay fresh for one week.

• Freeze well for up to 3 weeks.

Finally, more delicious bite-zize cookies…

• 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies

• Coconut Cherry Shortbread Cookies

• Pumpkin Cranberry Nut Cookies.

• Healthy Oatmeal Cranberry Nut Cookies.

• Apple-Oatmeal Cookies.

Yield: 3 dozen

Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies

Print

Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies are buttery, shortbread cookies with a refreshing flavor of lemon and an underlying subtle flavor of thyme.  These melt-in-your-mouth tea cookies rolled in powdered sugar, make them irresistible! Easy to whip up, bake, and ready in 15 minutes!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp. (113g) sweet butter (1 stick) - very soft
• 1/2 cup (50g) powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 Tbsp. (about 8 to 10 twigs) fresh thyme (stems discarded)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 + 1/4 cups (151g) all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
• Additional white powdered sugar (about 1 cup, or 100grams) sifted, for rolling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. F (176.7 C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar together for about 2 minutes.
3. Add in salt, thyme, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat until well combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides down.
4. Then gradually beat in the flour. Cookie dough will be very soft.
5. Drop small balls using the smallest ice cream scoop, (or roll into balls with the palm of your hand) onto non-greased cookie sheets, or drop by teaspoon, making balls, larger than a nickel but smaller than a quarter.
6. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are browning around the edges.
7. Remove and allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes. Then transfer to a cookie rack to cool.
8. When cookies have cooled down, gently roll each cookie into the powdered sugar while they are slightly warm. Keep in mind, if cookies are too warm, and can fall apart easily while rolling them in powdered sugar.
9. If you feel the need to roll them twice, then transfer powered coated cookies back onto a cookie rack, and allow cookies to cool completely. Then gently roll each one in powdered sugar, the second time. But it's not necessary.
10. Store cookies in a sealed container. They will stay fresh for one week, and freeze well up to 3 weeks.
11. Yields: 2.5 to 3 dozen (depending on size)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3 dozen tea cookies

Serving Size:

3 tea cookies
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 126Total Fat: 7.8gSaturated Fat: 4.9gCholesterol: 20mgCarbohydrates: 13.1gFiber: .3gSugar: 5gProtein: 1.2g

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Stay Healthy and Happy Baking!!  🙂

Thanks for stopping by!  

xo  Anna and Liz