The classic pairing of lemon and poppyseed appears in countless loaves, cakes, muffins and breads because the combination truly sings: the bright, citrus bite of lemon beautifully offsets the nutty, slightly earthy crunch of poppyseeds while butter and sugar lend the necessary sweetness. These elements come together perfectly in a crisp, tender shortbread.
With so many lemon-and-poppyseed recipes already online, I wanted to present the combination in a slightly different format—shortbread cookies. These Lemon and Poppyseed Shortbreads offer a rich, buttery base punctuated by lemon zest and dotted with tiny poppyseeds. To finish them, I use a silky lemon cream cheese frosting for a smooth tang that complements the crumbly biscuit texture.
The shortbread is simple to make and bakes quickly, while the frosting adds a luxurious note without overpowering the delicate cookie. Below you’ll find the full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions, plus a few practical tips for getting the best texture and flavor every time.
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280g
Plain Flour -
80g
Icing Sugar -
240g
Butter – Room Temperature -
1
Teaspoon
Lemon Juice -
2
Tablespoon
Poppyseeds - Zest of 2 Medium Sized Lemons
-
30g
Butter – Room Temperature -
100g
Cream Cheese -
200g
Icing Sugar -
1-2
Teaspoon
Lemon Juice
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In a medium bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and icing sugar together with a handheld mixer until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This creates the tender, shortbread crumb.
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Add the zest from two medium lemons and one teaspoon of lemon juice, then beat for another minute to combine the citrus into the butter mixture.
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Sift the plain flour into the bowl, sprinkle in the poppyseeds and gently fold everything together until a soft dough forms. Avoid overworking the dough to keep the shortbread tender. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 1 cm (roughly 1/3 inch) thick. Cut into your preferred shapes using a knife or a cookie cutter.
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Arrange the cut biscuits on the prepared baking tray, leaving a little space between them. Bake for around 15 minutes, or until the edges are just turning a light golden colour. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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While the biscuits cool, make the frosting: beat the butter and cream cheese together until pale and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Gradually add the icing sugar and continue beating until smooth.
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Add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. Spoon, pipe, or gently spread a smooth layer of frosting on top of each cooled shortbread. Allow the frosting to set briefly before serving.
Flashback!
When I first developed this recipe in 2016 I served the shortbread as sandwich cookies, with frosting piped between two biscuits. They were delicious, but the filling tended to squeeze out when you bit into them. After several messy attempts, I switched to frosting each biscuit on top instead of sandwiching them, which keeps the presentation neat and makes them much easier to eat.
It took several years before I revisited, refined and reshot this recipe, but the original photos above are from that first iteration. The updated version keeps the same flavours you love—bright lemon, nutty poppyseeds and rich butter—but with a cleaner finish and more reliable texture.
Tips: use room-temperature butter for an even mix, measure flour accurately to avoid dry biscuits, and allow the shortbread to cool completely before adding frosting so it doesn’t melt. Store finished shortbreads in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze un-frosted biscuits for longer storage.