These Almond Flour Lemon Cookies are tender, moist, and full of zingy lemon zest. Made with a simple, one-bowl cookie dough of almond flour, maple syrup and olive oil, you can mix it up by hand for a no-fuss dessert. Gluten-free, vegan.
Bright Lemon Flavor in Every Bite
When it comes to dessert, I'm often looking for simple recipes that come together quickly but deliver rich flavor in each bite. These lemon cookies do just that, with a simple, olive oil-based cookie dough that's stirred together by hand (no need to wait for butter to soften!). Adding both lemon juice and zest to the dough delivers a fresh, citrusy flavor to every bite, while a drizzle of lemon glaze brings that sweet-tart flavor to round them out.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Almond flour - A gluten-free nut flour with a neutral, buttery flavor that gives the cookies a tender texture. If you don't have any, you can make your own!
Baking soda - This raising agent helps the cookies to rise, giving them a light texture, while improving browning.
Maple syrup - An unrefined sweetener with a mild, caramel flavor. It also helps to bind the dough in this egg-free recipe, helping the cookies hold together. Agave syrup or honey (if not vegan) also work great.
Olive oil - This aromatic oil has a bright flavor that complements the lemon zest. Melted butter (if dairy isn't an issue) or coconut oil also work here.
Vanilla extract - Enhances the sweet flavors in these cookies. Make sure you're using pure extract for the best taste.
Lemon - Both the zest and the juice are used to bring the citrusy lemon flavor to the cookies (just like in these lemon bars!). The zest can be finely grated using a microplane or the fine side of a box grater.
Powdered sugar - This finely ground sugar is mixed with lemon juice to create the optional zingy drizzle for the cookies. Choose an organic version to ensure it's vegan-friendly.
Salt
How to Make Almond Flour Lemon Cookies
Before you start: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine almond flour, organic cane sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest and stir to combine until dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Scoop dough with a tablespoon and roll into balls. Space about an inch and a half apart on a baking sheet.
Step 3: Using the palm of your hand, press the ball down about halfway. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown. The tops will not brown like traditional cookies. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Step 4: To make the optional glaze to drizzle, stir drizzle ingredients in a small bowl. Add additional lemon juice to reach desired consistency if needed. If too thin, add extra powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and allow it to set before storing.
Variations
- Orange cookies: Swap the lemon juice and zest for an equal amount of orange juice and zest.
- Lemon & white chocolate cookies: Stir a handful or two of dairy-free white chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
- Lemon cardamom cookies: Add ¼ teaspoon ground green cardamom to the dough.
Recipe tips
- If using the optional lemon drizzle, make sure that the cookies have cooled completely before using it to glaze them. If the cookies are warm, much of the glaze will drip off.
- Use damp hands for rolling the dough into balls to prevent it sticking.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of grated lemon zest for a pretty touch and extra lemon flavor.
FAQs
Almond flour is made from finely ground, blanched almonds. It's great for baking with as it produces light bakes with a mild flavor. Ground almonds are coarser and have a darker color from the skins which can impart a bitter flavor in baked goods.
Adding both lemon zest and lemon juice to the dough brings a delicious lemon flavor to the cookies. You can also add ¼ teaspoon lemon extract to the dough for even more flavor.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best for baking with as it has a fresh flavor. Bottled lemon juice has been processed with heat, which removes a lot of its lemon flavor.
More Lemony Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Optional lemon drizzle:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (175℃). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, cane sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest and stir to combine until dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
- Scoop dough with a tablespoon and roll into balls. If the dough seems too wet, add a couple tablespoons (or more) of almond flour. Space about an inch and a half apart on a baking sheet. Using the palm on your hand, press the ball down about halfway.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown. The tops will not brown like traditional cookies. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- To make the optional glaze to drizzle, stir drizzle ingredients in a small bowl. Add additional lemon juice to reach desired consistency if needed. If too thin, add extra powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and allow it to set before storing.
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