Lorna Doone Cookie Recipe 3 Ways

When I was little, grown-ups ate Lorna Doone cookies.  They were elegant and served with tea, well at least at my house.  Today, I still think of them as a special treat.  Let’s explore the Lorna Doone cookie recipe made in three ways.  Pick your favorite way!

Lorna Doone – Way #1

This one is, a homemade Lorna Doone.  What is a Lorna Doone?  It’s a piece of shortbread.  It’s buttery, with a slight sweetness.  Don’t confuse these with sugar cookies or butter cookies.  They are shortbread.  Simple ingredients and really easy to make.

Step 1:

Cream butter and sugar together.

lorna doone cookie recipe

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 2:

Sift in flour and cornstarch and blend together.  I use a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar, but you can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.  The flour and cornstarch will not come together as a dough, usually, with the hand mixer, probably another reason to use the stand mixer.  It will create a mixture with lumps about the size of peas.  I then combine that mixture together and create the dough with my hands.  Needless to say, use what you have.

lorna doone cookie recipe

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 3:

Once the dough comes together, form a ball and wrap it with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Step 4:

Roll out chilled dough (about 1/4 inch thick).  Cut the dough into 2 x 2-inch squares. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

lorna doone cookie recipe

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 5:

Bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees.   Do not let the cookies brown.

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 6:

Cool cookies on a wire rack and store them in an air-tight container.

lorna doone cookie recipe

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon; softened at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup (scant) Cornstarch

lorna doone cookie recipe

Lorna Doone – Way #2

This is so simple, yet elegant.  Perfect for a party platter.  Your guests will think you spent all afternoon on this.

Step 1:

Spread cream cheese frosting on cookies.  You can use the homemade version from above, or store-bought.  By the way, I used canned cream cheese frosting, but feel free to make your own.

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 2:

Top with a fresh raspberry.

lorna doone cookie with frosting and raspberry

Lorna Doone – Way #3

I found a recipe that combined peanut butter, caramel, marshmallows, and chocolate all layered on top of a Lorna Doone crust.  Well, I didn’t really want to invest that much time in a batch of cookies.  My thought was why not recreate the cookie on an individual basis so I can enjoy this wonderful treat any time I want?  They turned out great, by the way.

Step 1:

Spread peanut butter on top of cookies (homemade or store-bought).

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 2:

Add a piece of chocolate bar and microwave for about 10 seconds.  Looking to slightly soften the chocolate here.

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 3:

I found these large square marshmallows.  For me, they are too big, so I cut them in half and then split them in half.  I think they are too thick, so when I split them in half it makes them half as thick (I think, I hope that makes sense).  Place marshmallow on top of the cookie and then microwave for another 10-15 seconds.  Watch the cookies as the marshmallows will “puff” and “melt” slightly in the microwave.

lorna doone cookie recipe

lorna doone cookie recipe

Step 4:

Top with caramel sauce.

lorna doone cookie chocolate caramel recipe

Additional Ideas

Lorna Doone shortbread cookies are iconic and so very yummy.  But if you want to add something special to these delicious cookies, try adding a splash of vanilla extract to the cookie dough.  It adds warm notes to this buttery shortbread cookie.

Want to celebrate something?  Take this sweet treat to the next level.  Use a cookie cutter to make interesting shapes instead of traditional squares.

How about spreading a chocolate layer on top of the cookie?  Something like Nutella.  Then go wild and top with cool whip.  These cookies offer a sweet base to experiment with.  The only limitation is your tastebud imagination.

Grocery stores always carry the original recipe.  So, if you are short on time don’t feel bad about the store-bought version.  They still have the yummy buttery taste and if you are like me, they will immediately transport you back to your childhood.

Looking for more island-inspired desserts?  Check these out.

(adapted from:  pioneerwoman.com)

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