Gluten Free Lemon Cookies

These gluten free lemon cookies are bright, fresh, and just sweet enough, with crisp crinkled edges and a soft, fudgy center. Made with real lemon juice and zest, they’re vegan, refined sugar free, and perfect for adding something citrusy and refreshing to a holiday cookie tray or spring dessert spread.

Jennifer Farley

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 14

Total Time 29

Serving Size cookies

Equipment

Cookie sheet
Parchment paper

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal (use golden for best color)
¼ cup fresh water
½ cup coconut oil softened or melted/cooled
1 cup maple syrup room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
⅓ cup arrowroot starch (also called arrowroot powder)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 large lemons
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest from 2 large lemons

For Coating

⅓ cup arrowroot starch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small cup, mix the ground flaxseed meal and water. Set aside to thicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a stand mixer or with electric beaters, mix the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add the flax mixture and the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until a thick dough forms.
Gently fold in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each scoop (they do not spread very much).
Place the extra ⅓ cup arrowroot starch onto a plate or piece of parchment. Roll each dough ball in the arrowroot to coat completely, then place it back on the baking sheet.
Repeat the coating step one more time, starting with the first dough ball you rolled. This helps create the crinkle-top effect.
Gently press each dough ball down with two fingers to flatten slightly. Don’t handle them too much or the crinkles won’t form as well.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the tops are crackly and the cookies look set.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving them — they’re delicate when hot.

Notes

Storage: These get way too soft at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. If possible, try to bake them when they can be eaten fresh. You can freeze the dough balls by flash freezing first on a parchment lined baking sheet for 2-3 hours Then transfer to freezer safe zip top bag, label and store for 2-3 months. Bring to room temperature before (this takes about 30 mins to an hour) rolling in arrowroot and baking. Then bake as directed. The baked cookies freeze well too. Again, just not as great of a texture as they are fresh, but leave them at room temperature to thaw before eating.
I do a double roll in the arrowroot starch because I found it soaks in after the first roll and doesn’t give a crinkle effect.
If you would like to add a bit of extra lemon zest to the top for serving, that adds a nice touch, but they are perfectly delicious without.
If you prefer to roll them in powdered sugar, instead of arrowroot, like traditional crinkle cookies, they might be pretty sweet, but that will work too.

Nutrition