Description
These delightful Lemon Raspberry Cookies combine a tender gluten-free cookie base with tangy lemon zest and fresh frozen raspberries for a beautifully marbled and flavorful treat. Finished with a luscious raspberry glaze, these cookies offer a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and buttery flavors ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour (1:1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
Fruit
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, chopped
Topping Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)
Glaze Ingredients (Optional)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 frozen raspberries
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Zest and Juice the Lemons: Wash and dry all three lemons. Using a zester, zest all three lemons, place the zest in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying, and set aside. Cut one lemon in half and juice it, removing any seeds. You should have about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice; if not, juice additional lemons to reach the amount.
- Prepare the Raspberries: Measure 1/2 cup frozen raspberries and roughly chop into small pieces, being careful not to over-process into pulp. Place the chopped raspberries into a freezer-safe bowl and return to the freezer until ready to use.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Make Cornstarch Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the two heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with three tablespoons of water until the mixture becomes thin and watery.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter (or vegan baking stick) with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until soft and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Slowly beat in the cornstarch mixture, milk, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice into the creamed butter and sugar. The mixture will look pale yellow and a bit chunky.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the gluten free flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined without overworking.
- Fold In Raspberries: Gently fold the frozen chopped raspberries into the dough using a spatula, creating a lovely marbled pink appearance.
- Freeze the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze the dough for at least one hour to prevent spreading during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop and Coat Dough Balls: Remove dough from the freezer and scoop into 11 portions using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop. In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Roll each dough ball in this lemon sugar mixture.
- Bake Cookies: Place the coated dough balls 3 to 4 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 16 minutes. Bake in batches if necessary, keeping remaining dough in the freezer.
- Shape and Cool: Immediately after removing from the oven, reshape cookies into circles using a spatula to prevent breaking. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 1 or 2 frozen raspberries, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water until smooth and combined.
- Apply Glaze: Drizzle the glaze over fully cooled cookies. Let the glaze harden before serving. Optionally, sprinkle with additional lemon zest on top.
Notes
- Freezing the dough for at least one hour is essential to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Use a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum for best texture and structure.
- Be careful not to over chop the frozen raspberries to maintain a nice texture and avoid too much juice.
- If you don’t have fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice can be used but fresh zest is recommended for flavor.
- The glaze should be applied only to completely cooled cookies to avoid a runny consistency.
- Store extra dough balls in the freezer and bake fresh batches as needed for best results.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lemon cookies, raspberry cookies, gluten free cookies, lemon raspberry cookies, gluten free dessert, citrus cookies, berry cookies
