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Gluten Free Lemon Curd Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 129 reviews

These Gluten Free Lemon Curd Cookies combine a luscious homemade lemon curd with soft, lightly crisp cookies that are bursting with fresh citrus flavor. Perfect for those avoiding gluten, these cookies feature a tender, batter-like dough coated in powdered sugar and filled with silky lemon curd that remains smooth and creamy even after baking. Ideal for baking enthusiasts seeking a bright, refreshing treat that balances sweet and tart flawlessly.

Ingredients

Scale

Lemon Curd

  • 100 g (½ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon (preferably organic, unwaxed)
  • 3 large egg yolks (US large/UK medium), room temperature
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 60 g (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 55 g (½ stick) unsalted butter, cubed

Lemon Cookies

  • 150 g (¾ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
  • Zest of 2 lemons (preferably organic, unwaxed)
  • 115 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
  • 2 large eggs (US large/UK medium), room temperature
  • 30 g (2 tbsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 240 g (2 cups) plain gluten free flour blend (e.g., Doves Farm Freee, no xanthan gum)
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum (omit if flour blend contains xanthan gum)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 90 g (¾ cup) powdered/icing sugar, for rolling the cookies

Instructions

  1. Prepare Lemon Curd: Use non-metal utensils and cookware to avoid metallic aftertaste. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a bowl, rubbing zest into sugar to release oils. Whisk in egg yolks and salt until mixture is slightly fluffy and lighter in color.
  2. Cook Lemon Juice: Heat freshly squeezed lemon juice in a non-metal saucepan over medium-high until it just boils. Slowly drizzle the hot lemon juice into egg yolk mixture while stirring constantly to temper the eggs.
  3. Thicken Lemon Curd: Return mixture to saucepan; cook over low heat stirring constantly until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 4-5 minutes). Avoid boiling and bubbles.
  4. Finish Lemon Curd: Remove from heat and stir in cubed butter until melted. Optionally, strain through a fine non-metal sieve to remove zest for a smooth texture. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap and cool completely to room temperature or refrigerate.
  5. Make Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, rub lemon zest into sugar. Add melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla; whisk well. In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix with a rubber spatula until smooth batter forms. The dough will be loose and sticky.
  6. Chill Dough: Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up and prevent spreading during baking.
  7. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Form Cookie Balls: Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, portion dough and coat each ball thoroughly in powdered sugar. Roll between palms to form smooth balls. Place 8 balls per baking sheet spaced well apart.
  9. Add Indent and Fill Cookies: Use ½-tablespoon spoon to indent center halfway through each dough ball. Fill each indent with a generous teaspoon of chilled lemon curd.
  10. Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 9-12 minutes until cookies have spread, edges crack, and lemon curd is puffed but not bubbling. Keep unbaked cookies refrigerated while baking the other batch.
  11. Cool Cookies: Allow baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies are delicious warm but best chilled.
  12. Store: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week. Leftover lemon curd can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Notes

  • Using non-metal utensils and cookware for lemon curd prevents metallic flavor development.
  • Rubbing lemon zest into sugar releases more essential oils enhancing aroma and flavor.
  • Cookie dough is very loose and batter-like before chilling; do not add extra flour.
  • Chilling dough is essential to prevent excessive spreading during baking and to make shaping easier.
  • Rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar prevents sticking and helps form neat balls.
  • Do not overbake; lemon curd should be puffed but not bubbling to keep creamy texture.
  • Cookies are delicate fresh out of the oven, so cool carefully before moving.
  • Cookies keep well refrigerated and develop better flavor when chilled.
  • If you don’t mind zest texture, you can skip straining the lemon curd.

Keywords: gluten free lemon cookies, lemon curd cookies, gluten free dessert, lemon cookie recipe, citrus dessert

Find it online: https://zestywithzane.com/gluten-free-lemon-curd-cookies-recipe/