Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups with Marshmallow Filling
Tender Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups are filled with fluffy marshmallow buttercream, finished with lemon glaze and fresh zest—the perfect bite-sized dessert for tea parties and showers.
If you're looking for an elegant little dessert that's perfect for tea parties, bridal showers, baby showers, spring gatherings, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee, these Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups are sure to become a favorite.
The buttery shortbread cookie is incredibly tender—almost like a delicate pie crust—with bright lemon flavor in every bite. A swirl of fluffy marshmallow buttercream adds just the right amount of sweetness, while a drizzle of fresh lemon glaze and a sprinkle of lemon zest make these tiny treats absolutely irresistible.
Lemon Shortbread, Simple but Deceptive!
What surprised me most about this recipe was how deceptive the dough was. When I pulled the cookie cups from the oven, they were still pale and looked almost exactly like the dough balls I'd placed in the pan. I honestly thought the recipe had failed! Thankfully, I trusted the process and immediately pressed the wells while they were still hot. A few minutes later I realized I'd accidentally created my favorite cookie cup yet.
These are delicate, buttery, fresh, and bursting with lemon flavor without being overwhelming. The marshmallow filling stays creamy while allowing the cookie, glaze, and lemon zest to remain the stars of the show.
Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here's a quick peek at what you'll need. These are simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen.
For the Cookie Cups
- ½ cup room temperature butter (salted or unsalted)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Marshmallow Filling
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Lemon Glaze
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- (Optional) Tiny drop of yellow gel food coloring
Garnish
- Fresh lemon zest
How to Make Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with Baker's Joy or another baking spray containing flour.
Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until smooth.
Mix in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms.
Using a small cookie scoop, portion the dough into approximately 24 equal dough balls. I recommend refrigerating the dough balls for about 20–30 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape beautifully.
Place one chilled dough ball into each prepared mini muffin cup.
Bake for 10–11 minutes. The tops will still look very pale, and the cookies may still resemble dough balls. Don't panic—that's exactly how they should look.
Immediately after removing the pan from the oven, use a tart shaper, wooden spoon handle, or another rounded tool to press deep wells into the center of each cookie. Don't wait—the shortbread becomes more delicate as it cools.
Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Marshmallow Filling
Beat the softened butter and shortening until light and fluffy.
Mix in the powdered sugar.
Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla, then beat until smooth and creamy.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
Pipe a generous swirl of filling into each cooled cookie cup.
Make the Lemon Glaze
Whisk together the powdered sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Stir in the lemon zest and, if desired, add the tiniest drop of yellow gel coloring for a sunny finish.
Drizzle the glaze over the filled cookie cups.
Finish with a light sprinkle of fresh lemon zest.
Allow the glaze to set for several minutes before serving.
Serve and Enjoy!
How to Display Cookie Cups
I love to use my macaron stand for cookie cups. It's just the right size for these adorable tiny treats. If you don't have a stand like this, then choose a beautiful platter and strategically place the treats to look gorgeous.
What to Expect from This Recipe
These Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups are unlike any other cookie cup I've made. Instead of a chewy cookie, you'll enjoy a buttery, incredibly tender shortbread that almost melts in your mouth. The marshmallow filling is light and creamy without overpowering the bright lemon flavor, while the glaze and fresh zest add the perfect finishing touch. Elegant enough for a bridal shower but easy enough for an afternoon baking project, these little treats are as beautiful as they are delicious.
Baker's Tip
Don't panic when these come out of the oven! They will still look pale and may even resemble the chilled dough balls you started with. That's exactly what mine looked like. Immediately press the centers while they're still hot. As they cool, they'll become beautifully tender cookie cups with the perfect shape for filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't worry—that's exactly how they're supposed to look! These tender shortbread cookie cups don't spread much during baking. While they're still hot, immediately press the centers to create the wells. As they cool, they'll settle into perfect little cookie cups.
Immediately after removing them from the oven. The cookies are very tender while hot and easy to shape. If you wait too long, they may crack when you press them.
Unlike many cookies, these aren't meant to brown very much. A pale color helps keep the shortbread incredibly tender. Look for lightly golden bottoms rather than browned tops.
Yes, I recommend chilling the dough balls for about 20–30 minutes before baking. Chilled dough helps the cookie cups hold their shape beautifully.
You can, but I actually don't recommend it. After testing, I found the cookie, glaze, and fresh lemon zest provide plenty of bright lemon flavor. The marshmallow filling offers the perfect creamy balance without becoming overpoweringly lemony.
I experimented with this and decided I prefer the glaze only on top. It creates a prettier finish, keeps the filling stable, and still delivers plenty of fresh lemon flavor.
Absolutely! Bake the cookie cups a day ahead if you'd like. Fill and decorate them the day you plan to serve them for the freshest appearance.
They'll keep well at cool room temperature for a day or two. If your kitchen is especially warm, refrigerate them, then let them come to room temperature before serving.
Yes! Freeze the unfilled cookie cups for up to three months. Thaw completely before adding the marshmallow filling, glaze, and fresh zest.
These elegant little cookie cups are perfect for tea parties, bridal showers, baby showers, Mother's Day, Easter, church luncheons, spring gatherings, birthdays, or anytime you want a beautiful bite-sized dessert.
Mini Desserts
If you love tiny hand-held desserts like these lemon shortbread cookie cups, you’ll flip over these delicate treats from Out of the Box Baking. They're perfect for a pretty dessert table.
- Cake Mix Petit Fours
- Easy French Macarons
- Elegant Meringue Rosettes
- Cheesecake Bites
- Oreo Cake Balls/Truffles
- Lemon Oreo Truffles
- Mini Layer Cakes
- Hot Cocoa Brownie Bites
- Easy Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Pops
- Mint Chocolate Brownies
- Brownie Bottom Turtle Cheesecake Bars
Thanks for Stopping By!
If you make this delicious recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment or review. And before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?
Janice Thompson is a professional baker, cake designer, and author with over 20 years of experience creating unique cakes and desserts. She’s the creator of Out of the Box Baking, where she shares her favorite doctored cake mix recipes, tutorials, and baking tips. Learn more →
Lemon Shortbread Cookie Cups
Tender lemon shortbread cookie cups are filled with fluffy marshmallow buttercream, drizzled with fresh lemon glaze, and topped with lemon zest. They're an elegant bite-sized dessert that's perfect for tea parties, bridal showers, baby showers, and spring celebrations.
Ingredients
- For the Cookie Cups
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Marshmallow Filling
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Tiny drop yellow gel food coloring (optional)
- Garnish
- Fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan generously with baking spray.
- Cream butter until light and fluffy.
- Beat in powdered sugar.
- Add the lemon zest and juice.
- Stir together the flour, cornstarch, and salt, then mix into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop into 24 dough balls and refrigerate for about 20–30 minutes.
- Place one dough ball into each mini muffin cavity.
- Bake 10–11 minutes, just until the bottoms begin turning lightly golden. The tops will remain pale.
- Immediately press a well into each cookie using a tart shaper or wooden spoon handle.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Filling: Beat together the butter and shortening until fluffy.
- Mix in the powdered sugar.
- Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Pipe filling into the cooled cookie cups.
- Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and optional food coloring until smooth.
- Drizzle over the filled cookie cups.
- Sprinkle with fresh lemon zest before serving.
Notes
Don't judge these cookie cups by how they look when they first come out of the oven. They may appear underbaked or still resemble dough balls, but once you press the wells and allow them to cool, they transform into beautifully tender cookie cups.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210Fiber: 0g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.
