Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Cookies (Print Version)
Tender, zesty almond flour sugar cookies with bright lemon, gluten-free and ready in under 30 minutes.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups almond flour
02 - 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
→ To Finish
12 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, sea salt, and sugar until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter with a hand mixer until creamy, about 1 minute. Add egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until uniformly combined.
04 - Gradually mix the dry ingredient blend into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll each into balls, and coat in additional granulated sugar.
06 - Position dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each with your palm or the base of a glass.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes, until cookie edges are lightly golden.
08 - Rest cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling entirely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Friends will swear you snuck bakery cookies into your cookie jar but only you know the secret is a bit of lemon and almond together.
- The soft, chewy texture survives days in the jar—but they rarely last that long anyway.
02 -
- If you over-bake, the cookies lose their perfect chew and go dry (I learned the hard way distracted by a phone call).
- Almond extract is potent—a little too much and you’ll taste marzipan instead of lemon; less truly is more.
03 -
- Lemon extract magnifies the citrus flavor without extra tartness—use sparingly if you love bright notes.
- Switching to coconut oil for the butter doesn’t just make these dairy-free—it adds a gentle new depth that plays beautifully with the almond.