Name: Lemon meringue cookies recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: Makes: 12
Cuisine: Baking, British
Ingredients: 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 100g rice flour; 250g salted butter, softened; 75g golden caster sugar; Finely grated zest 1 lemon; 1 egg yolk

By Lisa Faulkner

last updated 4 August 2023

Contributions from

Jessica Ransom

Make Lisa Faulkner's lemon meringue cookies with shop bought lemon curd for an even easier recipe.

Delicious, easy and perfect for a tea party, we’re sure you’ll love these lemon cookies from Lisa Falkner’s book Tea and Cake. The filling is rich with double cream, lemon curd and crushed meringue. You can serve them as a snack or a simple dessert.

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g rice flour
250g salted butter, softened
75g golden caster sugar
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 egg yolk

For the filling:

200ml double cream
3 tbsp lemon curd
4 meringue shells, crushed

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Method

Sift the flours into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the utter, sugar, lemon zest and egg yolk. Gradually work in the flour using your fingertips until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes until firm.
Heat the oven to 150C (130C fan, Gas 2). Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll out the dough until 5mm thick. Cut into discs using a 6cm round cutter and place on the prepared baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes until firm.
Bake the biscuits for 30 minutes until pale golden then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the lemon curd and crushed meringue. Spoon the mixture onto half the biscuits then sandwich with the remaining plain biscuits. Dust with icing sugar before serving if you like.

Top tips for making lemon meringue cookies

Lisa explains: ‘I achieved a patterned top by using a doily as a template.’ You could use another stencil if you like but it isn’t necessary. For tips on how to store the cookies continue reading below.

Do lemon meringue cookies need to be refrigerated?

Once filled the cookies need to be stored in the fridge because the filling contains whipped cream. Un-filled the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you would prefer a cook that can keep at room temp, make a buttercream filling instead of cream.

Why do cookies need to be chilled?

It’s tempting to bake your cookies as soon as they are shaped and cut. However, if you do this they will likely lose their shape when cooked and they will spread out lots.

Can you freeze lemon meringue cookies?

You could freeze the cookie dough in this recipe. If you cut into circles first, we recommend freezing until solid on a tray then you can transfer to a bag or container to save space. Alternatively, freeze the dough as a log and then slice off thin portions of cookie dough to bake. You can bake from frozen but add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.

If you want more celeb recipes, this Mary Berry lemon drizzle cake is a winner. You might also like our lemon meringue pie. Our easy chocolate chip cookies are another delicious afternoon treat and perfect for parties or picnics.

Lisa Faulkner is an actress turned celebrity chef who won series five of the popular BBC TV show, Celebrity Masterchef. Since winning the show in 2010, she has released five cookbooks full of homely recipes that have quickly become family favorites. Born in London, she started modeling at 15 and spent time in Paris before moving on to acting at 16 years old. Lisa went on to star in some of the most well-loved soaps and TV dramas including Holby City, Spooks, and EastEnders. Lisa's cooking and recipes have been inspired by her mother's love for cooking and love for making family dishes that bring everyone together.

With contributions from