These Lemon Raspberry Cookies are bright, fresh, and bursting with flavor in every bite. No one guesses they are gluten-free. The combination of tart lemon and sweet raspberries creates a perfectly balanced cookie that feels both light and indulgent. Finished with a simple lemon glaze, they have just the right touch of sweetness and tang.
I love making these when I want something a little different from classic cookies. The pops of raspberry and hint of citrus make them feel special, but they are still easy enough to whip up anytime. No one thinks they are gluten-free because the texture is soft, tender, and absolutely delicious.
For specifics on the recipe use the table of contents to click on sections of the recipe.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love these cookies
- Ingredient List
- Kitchen Tools Needed
- How to make Lemon Raspberry Cookies (Gluten-Free)
- Make-ahead, storage, and freezer tips
- Common Mistakes to Avoid when Making Gluten-Free Cookies
- Eileen's Tips and Notes for Success
- Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Serving Suggestions
- More cookie recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love these cookies
- Bright and Fresh Flavor: The combination of lemon and raspberry is perfectly sweet and tangy.
- Gluten-Free: Made with gluten-free flour with no compromise in taste or texture.
- Soft and Tender: Light, delicate cookies with a melt-in-your-mouth feel.
- Beautiful Presentation: The glaze and raspberries make these cookies look as good as they taste.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Great for holidays, brunch, or everyday treats.
If you love fruity desserts, you might also enjoy lemon raspberry muffins, raspberry white chocolate bars, or no-bake strawberry Jello pie. They all have fresh and vibrant flavors.
Ingredient List
- Salted butter: Butter adds richness and flavor while creating a soft, tender cookie texture.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens the cookies and helps create a soft, delicate crumb. It also blends smoothly into the butter for a light texture.
- Egg: The egg provides structure and helps bind the ingredients together, ensuring the cookies hold their shape.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla enhances the overall flavor and adds a warm, sweet note that balances the citrus.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice adds bright, tangy flavor and helps bring out the freshness of the raspberries.
- Lemon zest: Lemon zest adds concentrated citrus flavor and aroma without extra liquid, giving the cookies a bold lemon taste.
- Gluten-free flour: This provides the structure for the cookies while keeping them completely gluten-free. A 1:1 baking blend works best for consistent results.
- Kosher salt: Salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the cookies.
- Frozen raspberries: Raspberries add natural sweetness, tartness, and bursts of juicy flavor throughout the cookies. Using them frozen helps the dough hold its shape.
- Granulated sugar (for rolling): Rolling the dough in sugar adds a light crunch to the outside and a subtle sparkle.
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Stand mixer
- Pastry brush
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling racks
- Silicone spatula
- Medium cookie scoop
How to make Lemon Raspberry Cookies (Gluten-Free)
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
- In a stand mixer, cream softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth and well combined. Add the egg, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Gently mix in the gluten-free flour and salt until a thick dough forms.
- Fold in the chopped frozen raspberries carefully to avoid overmixing.
- Scoop the dough using a medium cookie scoop onto a baking sheet. Roll each cookie dough ball in granulated sugar.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up the dough. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden.
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the glaze. Drizzle or brush the glaze over cooled cookies and allow it to set before serving.
Make-ahead, storage, and freezer tips
Storage - Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
Make ahead - Prepare the dough and refrigerate or freeze it before baking. Chilling helps maintain the cookie shape.
Freezing - Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Making Gluten-Free Cookies
- Skipping the Chill Time: Gluten-free dough often needs time to hydrate. Skipping this step can lead to cookies that spread too much or have a gritty texture.
- Using the Wrong Flour Blend: Always use a reliable 1:1 baking blend for best results. I recommend either Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur gluten-free flour.
- Overmixing the Dough: Too much mixing can lead to dense or tough cookies.
- Not Measuring Flour Properly: Too much flour can make cookies dry and crumbly. Do not scoop the flour; spoon and level the flour for accuracy.
- Using Warm or Soft Fruit: Fresh or overly thawed fruit can add too much moisture. Stick with frozen fruit when the recipe calls for it.
- Skipping a Binder (if needed): Gluten-free baking often relies on ingredients like eggs or applesauce for structure. Leaving them out can cause cookies to fall apart.
- Overbaking: Gluten-free cookies can dry out quickly. Remove them when the centers still look slightly soft.
- Not Letting Cookies Cool: Gluten-free cookies firm up as they cool. Moving them too soon can cause them to break.
Eileen's Tips and Notes for Success
- Use Frozen Raspberries: Keep raspberries frozen when mixing to prevent excess moisture and help the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Chill the Dough: Freezing the dough before baking helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookies thick.
- Gentle Mixing: Fold in frozen raspberries gently to avoid breaking them down too much.
- Shape After Baking: Swirl a glass around the cookies right after baking to create a perfectly round shape.
- Baking Time: These cookies take longer to bake than the average lemon raspberry cookie because of the gluten-free flour. That type of flour can take longer than regular all-purpose flour.
Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe?
- Strawberry Lemon Cookies: Swap raspberries for chopped frozen strawberries.
- Orange Raspberry Twist: Use orange zest and juice instead of lemon.
- No Glaze Option: Skip the glaze and dust with powdered sugar.
- White Chocolate Addition: Fold in white chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
- Lime Version: Use lime juice and zest for a tropical flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend, such as Bob's Red Mill, gives the most consistent results.
Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents them from spreading too much.
Yes, the dough or baked cookies can be made ahead and stored or frozen.
Overmixing the raspberries into the cookie dough can release juices that can make the cookies slightly blue.
Also, using baking soda or baking powder in a cookie dough can cause the dough to change color. That won't be an issue with this dough, as we don't use baking soda or baking powder.
Resting the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes allows it to thicken and deepen flavors. The cookies will not spread with proper rest time.
I have tested refrigeration time, and with proper rest time, the cookies do not spread.
I did a lot of recipe testing, and fresh strawberries release too much juice. This causes the cookie batter to be liquidy, and the cookies will spread. We do not recommend using fresh berries for these cookies.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with tea or coffee for a light dessert.
- Garnish with extra lemon zest for a pop of color.
- Pair with cheesecake ice cream for a refreshing treat.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
I love any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below.
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Thank you for your continued support. I am forever grateful.
Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card, you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
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Glazed Lemon Raspberry Cookies (Gluten Free)
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Equipment Needed:
- silicone spatula
- Medium cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 cups gluten free all-purpose flour Note 1
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup frozen raspberries (chopped)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar to roll the cookies before baking
Lemon Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with beaters, cream 1 cup salted butter (softened) and 1 ½ cups powdered sugaruntil well incorporated.
- Add to the mixing bowl, beat in 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest to combine.
- Gently blend in 3 cups gluten free all-purpose flour and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt.
- To the batter, gently fold in ¾ cup frozen raspberries (chopped). The batter will be thick.
- Scoop the batter using a medium size cookie scoop out onto a baking sheet.
- Roll each cookie in ¼ cup granulated sugar .
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
- While the cookies are in the freezer, reheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the baking sheet and divide the cookie dough evenly among 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Place in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven when they appear to be set around the edges and lightly browned in color.
- Transfer baking sheet to the wire cooling rack and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Use a small spatula to remove from the baking sheet and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
NOTES
keep the dough chilled and help to keep
its shape.
●
I like to swirl a glass around the cookie
several times as soon as they come out of
the oven to help ensure a round shape.
Storage
●
Store in an airtight container for 3-5
days.
●
For longer storage and optimizing
freshness, store in an airtight, freezer
safe container for up to 3 months. Makes: About 16
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