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Lemon Curd Cookie Cups

Lemon curd cookie cups with shortbread mini-crusts, silky lemon curd, and torch-kissed Swiss meringue peaks. Crisp buttery cookie cups contrast with bright, thick lemon curd and glossy toasted meringue.
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Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
cooling + chilling 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 7 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 110
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

shortbread cups
  • 1.5 cup flour
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 cup cold butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
lemon curd
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 0.5 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 4 tbsp butter cubed
Swiss meringue
  • 3 egg whites
  • 0.75 cup sugar
finish
  • 1 kitchen torch

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 double boiler
  • 1 mini muffin tin
  • 1 kitchen torch

Method
 

Make shortbread cups
  1. Mix flour and powdered sugar, then cut in cold butter until sandy; stir in egg yolk and vanilla to form a dough. Press dough into a 24-cup mini muffin tin, covering the bottom and sides with an even thickness.
  2. Bake at 350°F for 12 min until the edges are set and lightly golden. Cool in the tin.
Make lemon curd
  1. Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, and sugar over a double boiler until smooth and starting to thicken. Cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then remove from heat.
  2. Whisk in cubed butter until fully melted and glossy. Strain for a silky texture and cool to room temperature.
Assemble
  1. Fill each cooled cookie cup with lemon curd to the top edge.
  2. Heat egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until the sugar dissolves, then whip to stiff glossy peaks. Pipe swirls onto each lemon-filled cup, making peaks that hold their shape.
  3. Torch the meringue at close range until golden-brown on the tips. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Strain the lemon curd after cooking to remove any cooked egg bits for a perfectly silky texture. For best texture, torch the meringue right before serving. Store assembled cups covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; for best results, freeze unfilled cookie cups only (freezing meringue can weep after thawing). For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend for the shortbread.