Or Pin this!
Soft Baked Lemon Poppyseed Cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
These soft and chewy cookies are light, have just the right amount of sweet and are bursting with lemon... a total crowd pleaser! And being Gluten-free, Grain-Free, Vegan and Paleo-friendly, they satisfy all sorts of dietary needs and preferences. NOTE: Prep time includes letting the batter rest 30 mins
Author: Healthy Gluten-Free Family
Recipe type: Baking, Cookies
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Paleo-Friendly
Serves: 18 cookies
Ingredients
Lemon Cookies (makes 18)
- ½ cup refined coconut oil, melted
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 teaspoons lemon extract
- 1 tablespoon poppyseeds
- 2⅔ cups Barney Butter blanched almond flour
- 4 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Glaze (enough for 18 cookies) (optional-- If paleo, skip)
- 1½ cup of powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon Cookie
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon zest and lemon extract.
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, poppyseeds, baking soda and salt. (mixture may seem thin but don't add any extra flour, it will firm up as it cools in the refrigerator)
- Let the dough sit for 5 minutes, then place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the dough is firm. (I like to transfer the dough to a pyrex bowl with a cover for refrigerating but not necessary)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide dough into 18 equal size pieces, placing 9 on each baking sheet, approximately 3" apart.
- Roll each dough piece into a ball. Then press the balls down slightly with your palm.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies have lightly browned. The cookies may crackle a little.
- The cookies will still be very soft when you remove them from the oven. Let them cool on the pan completely.
- Enjoy as is or when completely cooled dip in Glaze. See directions below.
Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice with a spoon or small whisk until it is a consistency that spreads, but doesn't run off the cookie.
- Hold the baked and cooled cookie upside down and dip it in the lemon glaze. Swirl to cover cookie top, pull up, let excess drip off and place on cookie sheet.
Store in air tight container at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. If you plan to freeze any, freezer before glazing.
This recipe is simply amazing!! Thank you for sharing!! They go great with your coffee in the morning and dessert after dinner!
So glad you love them as much as we do!
Hi! If i substitute the coconut and almond flour with white flour how much should i use it?
Thanks 🙏🏼😻
Hi. I’ve never made these with any flour other than the coconut and almond flour…. sorry I don’t have a recommendation for all purpose flour because I would potentially need to tweak other ingredients as well.
These cookies are amazing! I made them for a company bake off and won– competing against gluten-y baked goods, no less! Easy to make and so delicious.
Love it! Thanks so much for making and sharing! And congrats on winning the bake off! 🙂
Omg these cookies came out amazing! The recipe was perfect and easy to follow. I added blueberries and it was the perfect combination. My husband said I could sell them, they came out so good. So impressed.
What a fun add! So happy you love them! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Is there a substitution for the maple syrup ?
I think you can try molasses or karo! I’m not sure how much though cause they are much thicker than maple syrup and molasses can be overpowering.
Hi! Sorry I missed this question! I’ve never used anything but maple syrup in this recipe but you could also try honey or agave… any substitute will slightly change the flavor of the cookie however.
We made these with all purpose gluten free flour and some brown rice flour because we can’t have almond and they were great! We added about 4 Tbsps of water because it was a tad dry but that’s the only change we had to make. So good!!
Happy they worked out so well! Love your adaptations! Thanks for sharing!
These are lemony delicious! Made these for GF friends and they were gone in a flash. Everyone asked for the recipe! I sprinkled some poppy seeds on the glaze for looks and served them with ice cream topped with a dark cherry sauce. Thanks!
What a fun way to serve them Madeline! So happy everyone loved them! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Oh my GF goodness! These are wonderful and will suit all my grands, the 16 GF, the 13 Vegan, the 8 Type 1. Thank you so much for this recipe! I will be checking into more of your recipes definitely! Thank you!
Yay! So happy you love these cookies and that they meets everyone’s dietary needs! Thank you so much! Let me know what else you try 🙂
I have someone who is allergic to almonds. Would the recipe work with just cocount flour or what do you recommend?
Hi. Unfortunately, this recipe might not work for you…. other flours work differently and aren’t interchangeable, and it wouldn’t work with just coconut flour. I’ve never made it with oat flour but that might be the closest substitution.
I have been looking for a gluten-free cookie recipe like this. I made them with anise extract and a lemon glaze. Delicious,easy and clean ingredients. Thanks
Ooh, great idea! I bet they tasted great– thanks for sharing! Happy you loved them!
I LOVE these! My sister has many food restrictions right now due to the new baby so these were perfect for her during the holidays! So easy to make and very addicting to eat! Yummy!!
Thank you! So happy they worked out so well! And happy you love them!
Thank so much for this recipe. I am a new mother to a child with celiac plus type 1. I really appreciate you taking time to publish recipes so that my 12 year old can live a happy and normal life moving forward. Keep posting
You’re very welcome! And thanks for sharing — You just made my day! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this! Any chance we can put pure lemon juice in place of the extract? How much would you recommend if so? Thank you! I’m out of the extract unfortunately!
Great question! Extract adds such a strong flavor that I’m afraid you’d have to add a lot of juice to make up for it and that would change the texture of the cookie…. I’ve read that you can substitute 1 teaspoon of lemon zest per teaspoon of lemon extract but I’ve never done that, so not sure….if you try it, please let me know!
Amazing recipe and a huge hit in this household of dietary needs. I actually used lemon juice instead, and added a bit more lemon zest to keep the flavour. But this one’s a keeper in the cook book 😊
Thank you! Did you use lemon juice and zest in place of the extract? Would love to know! Happy you loved them!
Hi there!
I also tried substituting lemon zest and juice for the lemon extract., cause I found the flavor a bit unnatural. It was successful! Same crackly top, slightly more subtle lemon flavor.
The following proportions have worked well for me (no lemon extract, just different amounts for the lemon zest, and some lemon juice):
Lemon zest: 3 tablespoons
Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
Thanks for this yummy vegan recipe!
Thanks for sharing! Happy you loved it!
These are so yummy! I didn’t have blanched almond flour so I used almond meal. It changed the color but are still delicious! I also didn’t have lemon extract so I did 3 teaspoons extra of zest and the lemon flavor came across very well. Thanks for another great, healthy recipe!
Love all your adaptations! Happy it wall worked out! Thanks for sharing!
I have just made them. The are AMAZING!!! So tasty! My new favourite cookie for this summer!!
Thank you! They are one of my favorite Summer cookies too!
These were the best cookies I have ever made! I used fresh home grown lemons and they were so delicious that they only lasted a few days before they were all gone. So soft, light, and bright tasting. I made them for Christmas as a refreshing change from the other traditional cookies and I will continue making these because they were amazing!
So happy you loved them! I bet they were amazing with fresh lemons! Thank you!