These lemony cookies are bright, tender, and just sweet enough: almond flour dough scented with plenty of lemon zest and juice, sweetened with honey, and baked until the edges turn golden. They come together in one bowl and satisfy a sweet tooth without the sugar crash. Perfect with afternoon tea or coffee.
Lemony Cookies
Parchment paper, for lining the sheet pan
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey or maple syrup (or more if you prefer sweeter cookies)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil or ghee, melted
2 teaspoons (10 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (480 ml) almond flour
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon zest
¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the egg, honey or maple syrup, coconut oil or ghee, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together the almond flour, lemon zest and baking soda, combining well.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture, stirring
to incorporate. - Using your hands, form the dough into Ping-Pong ball–size balls and place them on the prepared sheet pan. Using the bottom of a glass, the bottom of a jar or some other flat surface, flatten the dough balls so that they are about 1⁄4 inch thick.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they start to brown around the edges.
VariationS: Feel free to use some orange in addition to or in place of the lemon. Or some dried fruit (apricots, raisins) added would taste great, too!
Pro Tips for Success
- Use the zest of a fresh lemon generously - a full tablespoon - since the zest carries most of the lemon aroma and the juice alone will not do it.
- Melt the coconut oil and let it cool slightly before mixing it with the egg so it does not scramble the egg.
- Flatten the dough balls to about 1/4 inch with the bottom of a glass or jar. Almond flour cookies barely spread on their own.
- Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges just start to brown. Almond flour goes from golden to over-baked fast, and the cookies firm up as they cool.
- Orange works in place of or alongside the lemon, and chopped dried apricots or raisins folded into the dough are a lovely variation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these lemony cookies paleo?
They are - almond flour, egg, honey, lemon, and coconut oil, with no grains or refined sugar. Use coconut oil instead of ghee to keep them dairy-free.
How should I store lemony cookies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Almond flour cookies stay freshest chilled.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Shape the dough balls and freeze them on a sheet pan, then bake straight from the freezer with a minute or two added to the baking time.
Why did my cookies turn out crumbly?
Almond flour cookies are fragile while warm - let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes before moving them. If they still crumble, the dough was too dry and needs a little more honey next time.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the egg, honey or maple syrup, coconut oil or ghee, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together the almond flour, lemon zest and baking soda, combining well.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture, stirring
- Using your hands, form the dough into Ping-Pong ball–size balls and place them on the prepared sheet pan.
- Using the bottom of a glass, the bottom of a jar or some other flat surface, flatten the dough balls so that they are about 1⁄4 inch thick.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they start to brown around the edges.
