Description

These Lemon Raspberry Cookies are a delightful gluten-free treat bursting with bright lemon zest and juicy frozen raspberries. Light, tender, and perfectly sweetened, they feature a soft marbled pink dough with a tangy lemon sugar coating and an optional sweet raspberry glaze. Ideal for those seeking a fresh citrusy cookie that’s both visually stunning and deliciously flavorful.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups gluten free flour (1:1 gluten free flour 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)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries, chopped

Coating

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)

Glaze (Optional)

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1–2 frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

Zest Preparation: Wash and dry all three lemons. Zest all lemons using a fine grater or zester and place the zest in a small bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap to prevent drying out and set aside.
Lemon Juice Extraction: Cut one lemon in half and squeeze out the juice, removing any seeds. There should be about 2 tablespoons; if not, juice another lemon. Set the lemon juice aside.
Prepare Raspberries: Measure out 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries. Roughly chop them into small pieces, being careful not to crush them into pulp. Return the chopped raspberries to the freezer in a freezer-safe bowl until ready to use.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set this mixture aside.
Make Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, combine 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until the mixture becomes thin and watery; it will initially be thick and tacky.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter (or vegan substitute) and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar together on medium speed until soft, creamy, and fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add Wet Ingredients: Gradually beat the cornstarch slurry, milk, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice into the creamed butter and sugar. The mixture will look pale yellow and slightly chunky.
Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Slowly add the gluten free flour mixture into the wet ingredients, a little at a time, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in Raspberries: Gently fold the frozen chopped raspberries into the dough with a spatula, creating a beautifully marbled pink dough.
Chill Dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and freeze the dough for at least 1 hour. This step is crucial to prevent cookies from spreading excessively and to ensure correct texture.
Preheat Oven: After chilling, preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Scoop Dough: Remove dough from freezer and use an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop to portion out dough into 11 equal scoops.
Prepare Lemon Sugar Coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until fully combined.
Coat Dough Balls: Roll each dough ball completely in the lemon sugar mixture, ensuring an even coating.
Bake Cookies: Place the coated dough balls 3-4 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 15-16 minutes. If baking in batches, keep remaining dough balls frozen.
Shape Cookies: As soon as cookies come out of the oven, use a spatula to gently reshape them into neat circles while still warm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to prevent breaking.
Prepare Glaze (Optional): In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, 1 or 2 frozen raspberries, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water until smooth.
Glaze Cookies: Once cookies have cooled completely, drizzle the raspberry glaze over the top. Allow the glaze to harden before serving. Optionally, sprinkle additional lemon zest over the glaze for extra brightness.

Notes

Freezing the dough is essential to prevent cookies from spreading too much and to achieve the right texture.
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for best results.
If you want a vegan version, substitute the butter with a vegan baking stick and use plant-based milk.
Be gentle when chopping raspberries to avoid creating raspberry pulp; you want small chunks for marbling.
If you prefer less tartness, reduce lemon zest or juice slightly.
Make sure cookies are completely cool before glazing to avoid melting the glaze.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze leftover dough balls for future baking.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Category: Dessert, Snack, Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 150
Sugar: 15g
Sodium: 90mg
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 20mg

Keywords: lemon raspberry cookies, gluten free cookies, lemon zest cookies, berry cookies, gluten free dessert, citrus cookies, raspberry glaze