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A head on image of a stack of gluten-free lemon shortbread cookies with a red bow wrapped around it
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4.60 from 5 votes

Lemon Shortbread Cookie (Gluten-Free, Egg-Free)

Fresh and zesty, these shortbread lemon cookies are buttery and crumble with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Gluten-free and egg free, you'll love these sweet, lemony bites of heaven!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Scottish
Servings: 10
Calories: 243kcal
Author: Kitrusy

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp salted butter softened
  • ½ cup raw cane sugar finely blended
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 1 large lemon)
  • 1 tsp lemon extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract (optional, but adds a great depth of flavor to the cookies)
  • ⅛ tsp Himalayan salt
  • 2 ⅓ cups blanched almond flour

Instructions

  • Make your Cookie Dough: Cream the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer.
    Mix in the lemon zest, extracts (lemon, vanilla and almond), and salt. 
    Add almond flour and work until a homogenous dough forms.
  • Shape and Chill: Shape dough into a 1.5" thick log and chill for a few hours or overnight. 
    Note: you can leave your cookie dough in the fridge, wrapped in plastic, for up to 4 days before using. Or freeze your dough for up to 2 months. To use thaw your logs overnight in the fridge.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the log into ¼” rounds and place onto a parchment-lined baking tray. (You should get about 30 cookies from one batch or 15 cookies per log)
    Bake for 8-10 min in a conventional oven or 10-12 minutes in a convection (fan) oven.
    Let cookies cool and set (they will be soft when they come out the oven but will set once cooled).
  • Storage: Cool your cookies completely to room temp and store them in an air tight container on the counter for up to a week or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

  • You can replace the lemon zest and extract with orange zest and extract. Or you can omit it to make a basic shortbread cookie.
  • If you overbake your cookies they may have a harder bite to them and won't be as crumbly soft like shortbread is. Be sure you bake them only until the edges begin to brown slightly.