These Soft-Baked Paleo Lemon Cookies are simple + easy, but are so delicious, so pillowy + full of lemon zing!
Sometimes you want to make a dessert that you know will please everyone. And as strange as it might seem, there are people out there who don’t like chocolate. I might not trust them, but they exist! Some of my in-laws hate cinnamon + vanilla is too plain for some. But lemon? I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t go crazy over a good lemon dessert like these soft-baked paleo lemon cookies.
No matter the time of year, lemon is always appropriate, right? It fits right into the bright, warm days of spring and summer. But it also adds a bit of much needed freshness to some of fall or winter’s darker days. These little cookies are like sunshine in a baked good + they’re SO easy.
These cookies are crisp around the edges, but so soft in the middle. They’re buttery and creamy, tart + sweet. They are dessert perfection!
Ingredients in Soft-Baked Paleo Lemon Cookies
The best thing about the paleo lemon cookies, other than their incredible taste + texture is that they’re so dang simple. The ingredient list isn’t long + it’s not complicated. If you’ve ever baked a paleo baked good in your life, you probably have some almond or coconut flour that needs used. If you haven’t, I’d still venture out to buy some. They’re really versatile, full of fat + fibre, and you can totally use the rest to make my famous paleo brownie bites!
To make these soft-baked paleo lemon cookies, you’ll need:
- Coconut Oil
- Maple Syrup
- 1 Egg
- Lemon
- Almond Flour – I’ve linked a great priced option here from Amazon!
- Coconut Flour – Another great price option on Amazon!
- Baking Powder
- Salt
Didn’t I tell you the list was simple!? If you’re looking for a substitution, you should be able to swap the coconut oil for butter or ghee and the maple syrup for honey. I haven’t tried these cookies with any other flour, so I can’t attest to the results! If you REALLY need to swap it out, I’d try using oat flour (ground oats) in place of the almond.
Putting the Cookies Together
To make the cookies, you follow a pretty basic cookie template. We’re going to mix the wet, mix the dry separately + then add them together. Done! There are, however, a few tips + tricks that I’ve noted in the recipe:
- Your coconut oil needs to be melted, but COOLED. The liquid consistency allows it to mix with the eggs + lemon juice, but you don’t want hot oil to scramble your eggs.
- Once you mix your dough together, it will be a soft texture – that’s okay! However, before you scoop out your dough, pop it into the fridge for at least 10 minutes. The coconut flour will soak up some moisture + your dough will stiffen.
- When you go to scoop out your cookies, choose whatever size you like, but I like to use a tablespoon-ish cookie scoop!
- These cookies will not spread in the oven, so just be sure that you like the shape before they go into bake. I roll my dough into balls, flatten the cookies + smooth the edges a bit. It only takes a minute, but makes such a difference!
The Optional Glaze: I feel the need to call this glaze “optional” because it’s most definitely not paleo. It uses regular ole white, powdered sugar. In theory, you could grind some coconut sugar in a blender to make this paleo or dip these guys in coconut butter to keep them 100% refined sugar free, but my husband loves a sugar glaze + I’m happy to pick my battles. To make, it’s just 1/2 cup powdered sugar + a bit of lemon juice. Optional, but increases the lemon tang so much!
If you make one dessert this season, let it be these soft-baked paleo lemon cookies. They come together so quickly, but I promise you they’ll bring your house incredible amounts of cookie scented joy.
Once you make them, these babies will keep in an airtight container in the cupboard for a few days, but I ADORE them straight from the freezer too. And absolutely nothing beats one warm from the oven. SO GOOD.
They’re bright + fresh, they’re pillowy inside with the perfect crust around the edge. They are everything you could want in a lemon cookie.
Once you try these cookies, I want you to just pop down below + let me know what you thought with a rating and review! It means so much to me when you do that + it really helps me SO much. Also, be sure to tag me in your recipe recreations on instagram – I love hanging out with you there.
Paleo Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/3 cup melted, but cool, coconut oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup almond flour
- 4 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 lemon, zested
Optional Glaze (non-paleo)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350f or 175c and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together + add to the wet. Mix until you get a soft, but dough-like texture.
- Place the bowl of cookie dough into the fridge for at least 10 minutes to let it stiffen.
- Using a spoon, tablespoon, or cookie measure, portion the dough into balls. Flatten the balls into cookie shapes + arrange on the pan. They won't spread in the oven, so be sure you like the shape!
- Bake for 8 minutes or until just lightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. The cookies will set as they cool.
- OPTIONAL: Mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice into a glaze. Dip the tops of each cookie into the glaze or spoon it over the top.
These cookies were amazing! They are fluffy and buttery (not sure how because they have no butter) and tart and sweet. I’ve been craving lemon baked goods for all of lockdown and have tried so many recipes but they all fell flat. These cookies were the perfect treat and soo easy to make! They will definitely be a regular thing in this house.
This makes me so happy! So glad to satisfy the lemon craving 🙂
Delicious recipe!!! Even my husband who doesn’t like alternative desserts loved them. Thanks Jessica for sharing a great recipe 💕
BIGGEST compliment ever!
Made these yesterday and am OBSESSED to say the least! Literally the softest, most delicious lemon cookie. Even my brother and boyfriend who are skeptical of all healthier dessets LOVED them!!!
Also super easy to make- cannot recommend enough. Thanks so much Jessica!! <3
Thank you SO much, Christine! This made my entire day. Glad you loved them 🙂
What do you mean by dipping the cookies in coconut butter? Do I melt more coconut butter and dip them when warm out the oven – tops only or entire cookie?
Whatever is easier for you, Lou-Ann! You could hear it + just dip the top of the cookie or the whole cookie. Or you could spoon it over the top! It’s up to you 🙂
So delicious and easy to make! My family loved them! We’ll be making many more soon! Thanks Jessica!
Gabriela, I’m SO glad that your family loved them. I so appreciate you being here!
Really tasty. That little kick of coconut from the coconut flour is perfect. I make the frosting, but used Swerve sugar replacement confectioner’s sugar instead of 10x. I’m glad I did, they may have been a little dry without (I also used paleo flour instead of almond flour, so that could be why there was a little dryness). Super easy to make, too.
Hi Danielle! Thanks so much for your thoughts – I’m glad you enjoyed them! I imagine the paleo flour did change the texture since almond flour is extra fatty + moist, but I’m glad they still worked!
Just made these and am currently snacking on them with my 5 year old. So delicious!!! I ran out of eggs so made a chia seed egg and it totally works.
I was checking reviews to see if anyone had tried an egg substitute since we have an egg allergy in the family. Thank you!!
Hi Alli! I haven’t tried it personally, but I bet a flax egg would work!
These look amazing but I just recently found out In sensitive to almonds, do you have any recommendations for substitutes for the almond flour?
Hi Heather! Because of the high fat content in almond flour, the only thing you could switch it out for would be another nut flour: ground cashews would be what I would try! Hope this helps 🙂
So good!!!! And easy!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Jennifer 🙂 Thanks for popping by to tell me + share your review!
How can I make these chocolate, chocolate chip?:-)
Hi Kari! I’m sorry, but I’m not 100% sure since I’ve never tested it. If I had to make a guess, I’d swap out a tbsp of the almond flour for cocoa powder + omit the lemon juice! You can then add maybe 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the dough. But I can’t make any promises how they’d come out. If you try it, let me know what you think! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Made these for a baby shower and they were a big hit! Absolutely delicious! Thanks. 🙂
Oh my goodness, yay! I’m so glad you loved them!