Go Back

Rebecca’s Lemon Earl Grey Biscuits

Buttery shortbread infused with Earl Grey tea and fresh lemon zest, finished with a crisp lemon-turbinado sugar topping.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Equipment

  • 8-inch square baking pan
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

For the biscuits

  • 1 cup 226 g unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup 90 g confectioners’ sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon divided
  • 3 Earl Grey tea bags opened, about 5-6g of tea
  • 2 cups 240 g all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt

For the topping

  • 1½ Tbsp turbinado sugar
  • Remaining lemon zest

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Beat the softened butter for 3–5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until smooth and pale.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, Earl Grey tea, salt, and about three-quarters of the lemon zest.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
  • Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  • Rub the remaining lemon zest into the turbinado sugar with your fingertips, then sprinkle evenly over the chilled dough.
  • Score the dough into rectangles.
  • Bake for 45–55 minutes, until set and just lightly golden around the edges.
  • Cool completely in the pan, then cut along the scored lines.

Notes

Earl Grey: Open the tea bags and use the tea leaves directly in the dough. If your tea is particularly coarse, crush it slightly between your fingers first.
Lemon zest: Zest the lemon before measuring anything else so you can easily divide it between the dough and topping.
Don’t overbake: These should stay pale and tender rather than becoming deeply browned.
Series note: This recipe builds on the classic Ted Lasso-style shortbread with Earl Grey and lemon inspired by Rebecca.