FOR LEMON LOVERS! These soft lemon cookies are made with real fresh lemon juice and zest, they are gluten free and made with no refined sugar. A soft lemon cookie filled with an easy homemade paleo lemon curd and slightly baked to set. If you love lemon you will love these deliciously tart and slightly sweet lemon cookies!
Why you'll love gluten free soft lemon curd cookies!
1. Full of real lemon flavor!
2. Soft and delicate
3. Filled with an easy homemade paleo lemon curd
4. Easy to make
5. Delicious chilled and frozen
6. Secretly gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free
7. Low FODMAP friendly, for those with sensitive guts
INGREDIENTS IN SOFT LEMON COOKIES:
Fine Almond Flour
Gluten Free Flour - or Oat Flour or Coconut Flour
Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest
Non Dairy Butter or Coconut Oil
Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest
Maple Syrup
Eggs
Baking Soda
Sea Salt
Optional Powdered Sugar
SUBSITUTIONS & SWAPS
1. Almond flour cannot be subbed, it is needed for moisture and softness in the cookies. Substituting with another flour will result in a dry cookie.
2. Gluten free flour may be swapped for coconut flour, but the coconut flour should be reduced to 1/4 cup in replacement. Oat flour may work too, at the same amount as the GF flour.
3. Lemon juice must be fresh, not bottled! Bottled lemon juice is very acidic and will lead to bitter cookies and a very bitter curd.
4. Maple syrup can be swapped for honey or coconut nectar in the cookies. Maple syrup is also in the lemon curd, I do not suggest swapping as it has a neutral flavor. Honey may be too strong.
5. The egg in the cookies can be swapped for a flax egg. This has been tested. The eggs in the curd unfortunately can't be swapped. If you are vegan, you can omit the curd and ice the cookies instead with a simple lemon icing. See notes on recipe card below.
How to make soft lemon curd cookies:
1. The lemon curd filling is made first. All lemon curd ingredients are whisked together in a heat safe bowl, and placed over a pan of boiling water (or double boiler). Once the mixture thickens, it is strained through a mesh strainer and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F and prep the cookie dough. Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and slightly press down with fingers.
3. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Press a teaspoon measuring spoon into the cookie to create a small well in the center, you can also use your finger.
4. Spoon cooled lemon curd into the cookie centers and return to oven for another 4-5 minutes for curd to set.
5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar!
FAQs
Can I make the lemon curd ahead of time?
Yes! This is preferred. The lemon curd thickens as it cools so will be a better texture for filling the cookies. It can be made and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes! The cookie dough can be made in advance. After the dough is mixed, cover the bowl it was mixed in with plastic wrap or tin foil and keep in fridge for up to 5 days before baking.
Are soft lemon cookies Low FODMAP?
Yes, these lemon cookies are low FODMAP friendly. All ingredients used are low FODMAP according to Monash University Findings. Almond flour is considered lower FODMAP at 1/4 cup and higher FODMAP (in GOS only) at 1/2 cup serving. This recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of almond flour. This recipe makes 14 cookies, that would mean roughly 2 1/2 cookies would be low FODMAP. Only if you are sensitive to almonds!
Always remember low FODMAP doesn't mean NO FODMAPs! FODMAPs at green safe serving sizes are essential for a balanced, healthy gut!
Are gluten free lemon cookies also paleo?
Yes! You can easily make these paleo just by swapping the gluten free flour for coconut flour. The gluten free flour in this recipe is 1/3 cup. You would reduce the coconut flour to 1/4 cup.
Can I make gluten free lemon cookies vegan?
The cookies can easily be made vegan! Replace the egg with a flax egg. The lemon curd does however need eggs. If you'd like to make these cookies vegan, you can make a lemon icing for the cookies instead of the lemon curd filling. See notes on the recipe card.
Tips for making the best soft gluten free lemon cookies:
1. Don't overbake them! The trick to ANY good cookie is to either slightly underbake or bake them just right. Overbaking these cookies will result in a crackly drier texture.
2. Make sure lemon curd is fully cooled before starting the cookies. Lemon curd will thicken when chilled, the texture needed to fill the centers of the cookies.
3. Make sure to pull the cookies out 10 minutes into baking and add the lemon curd, returning to the oven for 5 minutes for the lemon curd to set. This allows it to firm up so it's not runny.
4. Use FRESH lemon juice, not bottled!
5. STRAIN the lemon filling mixture through a fine mesh strainer after fully cooked, and be sure to scrape the bottom of the strainer to get all that good filling!