Polish Lemon Sandwich Tea Cookies (Cytrynowe Ciasteczka)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/16/23
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Polish Lemon tea sandwich cookies (cytrynowe ciasteczka)

The Spruce Eats / Barbara Rolek
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 15 servings
Yield: 15 sandwich cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
371 Calories
17g Fat
53g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 15
Amount per serving
Calories 371
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 10mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 37mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for melt-in-your-mouth Polish lemon sandwich tea cookies or cytrynowe ciasteczka do herbaty (sih-trih-NOH-veh chass-TETCH-kah doh err-BAH-tih) calls for a lemon-cream filling.

If you want your filling to look sunshine yellow, add a few drops of food coloring. It also will give your guests a hint as to what flavor is inside these delectable confections.

Actually, these cookies can be made with any citrus fruit and are equally yummy made with oranges, tangerines, blood oranges, and even grapefruit.

This cookie is ideal for a tea party, bridal shower, Mother's Day, or any time a pretty, delicate cookie is the order of the day. The beauty is, they’re easy to make and they store well. 

"These lemon cookies are very easy and their texture was really melt in your mouth. If you
are looking for a not too sweet cookie this will be a new favorite, perfect for a tea party." - Tracy Wilk

Polish Lemon tea sandwich cookies (cytrynowe ciasteczka)
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough:

  • 2/3 cup superfine sugar

  • 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 large ​egg yolk, lightly beaten, at room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

For the Cookie Filling:

  • 2.7 ounces (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for garnish

  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 1 tablespoon milk, or as needed, optional

Steps to Make It

Make the Cookies

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Place rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 F. 

  2. Use a hand mixer to cream together the superfine sugar with 8 ounces softened butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

  3. Beat in egg yolk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour until well mixed.

  4. Using a one-inch cookie scoop, portion dough onto parchment-lined sheet pans, spacing two inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in flour, lightly tamp the dough twice to flatten it.

  5. Repeat with the remainder of cookie dough, dipping the glass in more flour, as necessary, so cookies won't stick.

  6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown but still quite light in color overall. Remove from oven. Cool 5 minutes on sheet pans and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and zest. If the mixture is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. This mixture should be thick but smooth.

  3. To assemble the sandwich cookies, you can use a teaspoon to place dollops of filling; however, we prefer using a piping bag with a plain tip to pipe a spiral of filling onto the flat side of one cookie.

  4. Top with another cookie, flat side down. Twist the top cookie a little to make sure it is on securely.

  5. Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar.

Recipe Variations

Substitute the juice and zest of any citrus fruit for the lemon juice and zest.

How to Store

Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.