Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Cookies (Print Version)
Crisp, tender lemon-almond gluten-free cookies with a crunchy almond crumble—bright citrus and buttery notes.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 ½ cups almond flour
02 - ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
03 - ½ cup granulated sugar
04 - ¼ tsp salt
05 - ½ tsp baking powder
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 large egg
07 - ¼ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tbsp lemon zest (from 1–2 lemons)
10 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Almond Crumble Topping
11 - ½ cup sliced almonds
12 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
13 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - ½ tsp lemon zest
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, melted coconut oil or butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until a soft, cohesive dough forms.
05 - In a small bowl, toss the sliced almonds with sugar, melted butter, and lemon zest until the almonds are evenly coated.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each portion with your fingers.
07 - Sprinkle a generous pinch of the almond crumble topping over each cookie, pressing lightly so the topping adheres to the surface.
08 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops feel set.
09 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture walks a perfect line between crisp edges and a tender, almost shortbread like center that dissolves in the best way possible.
- These cookies taste genuinely luxurious, not like a compromise version of something better, which is exactly what gluten free baking should feel like.
02 -
- Under baking by even one minute too many makes these cookies crumbly instead of tender, so pull them when the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly soft.
- Letting the dough rest for ten minutes before scooping helps the almond flour absorb moisture and makes the cookies hold together much better.
03 -
- Roll the tops of the shaped cookies in the crumble mixture instead of just pressing it on, because the extra contact gives you a thicker, more even layer of crunch after baking.
- Zest your lemons directly into the sugar and rub it together with your fingers before adding other wet ingredients, because the oils release into the sugar and create a more intense, fragrant lemon flavor throughout every bite.