Citrus Curd Sandwich Cookies
Looking for the perfect cookies for your afternoon tea or spring celebration? Then add this recipe to your baking list! Nestled between two classic golden cookies, the smooth filling blends the pleasant tartness of lemon and the bright sweetness of orange. They add a touch of tasty class to any occasion.
1 hour 15 minutes chilling time

For the citrus curd:
- 1 curd recipe from “Lime and Lavender Flower Tartlets” 1 curd recipe from “Lime and Lavender Flower Tartlets”
- Replace lavender with: Replace lavender with:
- 2 tsp (4 g) lemon zest, finely grated 2 tsp (4 g) lemon zest, finely grated
- 2 tsp (4 g) orange zest, finely grated 2 tsp (4 g) orange zest, finely grated
- Replace lime juice with: Replace lime juice with:
- ⅓ cup (83 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed ⅓ cup (83 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup (83 ml) orange juice, freshly squeezed ⅓ cup (83 ml) orange juice, freshly squeezed
For the cookies:
- ⅔ cup (145 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed ⅔ cup (145 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (45 g) cornstarch ⅓ cup (45 g) cornstarch
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- ¼ tsp (1 g) baking powder ¼ tsp (1 g) baking powder
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, cubed 1 cup (227 g) butter, cubed
- ¼ cup (30 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar ¼ cup (30 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar
- 1 egg 1 egg
- 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
Garnish (optional):
- Redpath® Icing Sugar Redpath® Icing Sugar
Equipment:
- Baking sheets x 2 Baking sheets x 2
- Parchment paper Parchment paper
- Scale OR dry measuring cups Scale OR dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons Measuring spoons
- Medium bowl x 2 Medium bowl x 2
- Whisk Whisk
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR large bowl and a hand mixer Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR large bowl and a hand mixer
- Rubber spatula Rubber spatula
- Plastic wrap Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin Rolling pin
- Round OR fluted cookie cutter (2½ inch) Round OR fluted cookie cutter (2½ inch)
- Round cookie cutter (1 inch) Round cookie cutter (1 inch)
- Wire cooling rack Wire cooling rack
- Fine-mesh sieve Fine-mesh sieve
- Teaspoon measuring spoon OR piping bag Teaspoon measuring spoon OR piping bag
- Small offset spatula Small offset spatula
Instructions
For the citrus curd:
Follow the procedure for the curd in the “Lime and Lavender Flower Tartlets.” In Step 2, in place of the lavender, rub the citrus zest (including the 1 tablespoon of lime zest found in the recipe) into the sugar. Replace the lime juice with the lemon and orange juice. Proceed with the directions for the curd.
For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, stir and rub together the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar and lemon zest until fragrant. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder until well combined, and no lumps remain.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar mixture, and the Redpath® Icing Sugar on medium speed until completely blended; 3 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla extract mix until fully incorporated into the butter mixture; about 1 minute.
On low speed, add half of the dry mixture to the bowl until just combined. Add the remaining flour. Do not overmix; mix until it just forms a dough. Transfer dough onto a flat work surface, divide in half, and form each into a flat disc. Wrap discs in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge; 1 hour.
When ready to use, allow dough to come to room temperature; about 5 minutes. Work with one disc of dough at a time.
Place dough between 2 sheets of parchment. Roll dough to between ⅛- to ¼-inch thickness. Using a 2½-inch round or fluted cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Divide the number of cookies and transfer an equal amount onto each of the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.
With a 1-inch round cutter, cut out a hole in the centre of each cookie on one of the baking sheets. Scraps can be gathered and rerolled, and cut. Place cookies into the fridge to chill before baking; 10 to 15 minutes.
Place chilled cookies into the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden in colour. The tops (the cookies with the holes) will likely bake slightly faster.
Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
To assemble:
Place the completely cooled cookies with the cutouts (tops) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dust the tops of the cookies with the Redpath® Icing Sugar using a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside.
Place the whole cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet with the bottoms facing up.
Spoon or pipe about 2 teaspoons of the curd into the centre of each cookie. With a small offset spatula, spread the curd almost to the edges of the cookie, leaving about ¼ inch around the cookie free of curd. Gently press a top over each of the filled cookies.
Store any leftovers, layered between parchment paper, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Best to let cookies come to room temperature before eating.
Chef's Tips
*Make the citrus curd a day ahead or several hours before making cookies to allow the curd to chill completely and thicken in the fridge.
*If a plain lemon curd is desired, use our “Lemon Curd” recipe for the filling.
*Zest lemons, oranges, and limes before juicing. Any extra zest can be placed into an airtight container and frozen for future use. Roll citrus fruit, using some pressure, on a flat surface before slicing in half and juicing. This helps break the membranes in the fruit, allowing more juice to be extracted.
*If the dough becomes too soft or difficult to work with, place back into the fridge to chill; 10 minutes.
*Leftover citrus curd can be stirred into plain yogurt, overnight oats, or used as a topping for waffles, pancakes, crepes, scones, biscuits, or cakes. It can also be frozen in an airtight container or a resealable freezer-safe bag for up to a year. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
*Completely cooled and filled cookies (without the dusting of icing sugar) can be frozen in an airtight container layered between parchment paper for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and allow cookies to come to room temperature before serving.