Gluten Free Lemon Sugar Cookies (Perfect for Cut Outs)

Lemon Lovers rejoice - these Lemon Sugar Cookies are for you! They are soft, tender and packed with lemon flavor from the fresh lemon zest. And there is a little tang from the cream cheese which perfectly balances the flavors of these gluten free lemon sugar cookies. Use this foolproof cut-out cookie recipe to make the prettiest (and tastiest) cookies for Valentine's Day, Easter and of course Mother's Day. Or pretty much any day you are craving a lemony sweet treat.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour:  I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Lemon Sugar Cookies with Cup4Cup and my own gluten free flour blend. The texture of the cookies with my own blend (which is similar to Bob's Red Mill) is a bit chewy compared to the light and flaky texture of the ones made with Cup4Cup.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes gluten-free baked goods lighter and moister. If you are allergic to cornstarch, please substitute the 25g of cornstarch with an equal amount of gluten-free flour.

Butter: This recipe calls for unsalted butter straight from the fridge. Cold butter does not get fully incorporated into the cookie dough. Instead, it gets broken up into tiny pieces throughout the dough. This creates light and flaky layers which is similar to making pie crust.

Cream Cheese: Cream cheese adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the sugar and frosting. It also tenderizes the lemon sugar cookies, therefore makes them extra flaky. I use a full-fat block/brick of cream cheese. My brand of choice if Philadelphia which is gluten-free according to the Kraft-Heinz website. I always recommend checking the packaging or the manufacturer’s website to ensure the products used are celiac safe. I don't recommend using fat free or low-fat cream cheese since those products have a higher moisture content and can throw off the balance of the cookie dough making it sticky and more likely to spread.

Egg Yolk: This lemon cut out cookie recipe calls for just ONE egg yolk. This makes them soft and tender. If you double the recipe, please use two egg yolks.

Lemons: Since we are using the zest of the lemons in this sugar cookie recipe, I recommend using organic lemons (if you can). No matter what, make sure to give them a good rinse. I use the zest of two lemons in the cookie dough and the juice of half a lemon for the glaze. Plus the zest of an additional lemon for decorations. Lemons can be replaced with limes or even oranges.

Equipment Needed to make Lemon Sugar Cookies

Cookie Cutters: Please be aware that baking time varies depending on the size of the cookie cutters you are using. So please adjust baking times accordingly.

Rolling Pin: you will need a rolling pin to roll out the gluten-free lemon cookie dough. BUT, you can always use a clean bottle (like a wine bottle) in a pinch.

Offset Spatula: I love using Mini Offsets to move unbaked sugar cookie dough from the counter to the baking sheet.

How to make dough for Lemon Sugar Cookies

Please make sure to use cold butter, cold cream cheese and a cold egg yolk in this recipe for gluten-free cream cheese cookies. Cold ingredients ensure the dough will not spread. The technique used here is similar to the technique used to make my Gluten Free Levain Style Cookie recipes. Minimal mixing will keep spreading to little to nothing.

Step 1: Combine the gluten free multi purpose flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar and the zest of 1-2 medium lemons. Using your fingers or the back of a large spoon, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This will bring out the oils and lemon flavor which gives the lemon sugar cookies the lemon flavor without adding lemon extract.

Step 3: Add the cold butter, cream cheese and about a teaspoon vanilla extract to the lemon sugar. Mix at a low speed until the hunks of butter and cream cheese are coated with sugar. Under no circumstances cream the butter and the sugar. Incorporating air into the ingredients will cause the dough to spread.

Step 4: Add the cold, large egg yolk to the butter-cream cheese - sugar mixture. Mix just enough until the ingredients are combined. There will be still bigger hunks of butter and cream cheese visible. It may also look curdled which it totally normal at this stage.

Step 5: Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment.

Step 6: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and with the mixer running on low, mix everything together. This may take up to a minute but the lemon sugar cookie dough will slowly come together. While you may consider increasing the speed, I recommend mixing the dough at a low-medium speed to avoid incorporating air into the dough.

How to bake Lemon Sugar Cookies

Just like my Gluten Free Sugar Cookies, there is no need to chill the dough before baking. The temperature of your kitchen and humidity can impact the consistency of the dough so please keep that in mind. Baking times do depend on the thickness and your choice of cookie cutter. I use a 2.75" (7cm) heart shaped cookie cutter.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F and arrange the wire racks the oven in the middle. This way the cookies will bake evenly. Line two baking trays with sheets of parchment paper. You can also use silicone mats if you like. The amount of sheet trays needed depends on the size of the cookie cutters you use. Just make sure not to overcrowd the sheet trays.

Step 2: Divide the dough into half and place it on a lightly floured surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the gluten free lemon sugar cookie dough out to about ¼” thick (6 mm).

Step 3: Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into desired shapes. Make sure to cut the cookies are close as possible to get a better yield each time you roll out the dough. Re-roll the scrapes up to 2 times but I wouldn't go more than that. Otherwise, the cookies won't hold their shape during baking but they will still be delicious.

Step 4: Using a small offset knife, transfer the cut-out cream cheese cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

Step 5: Bake the gluten-free cut-out cookies one tray at a time at 350F for 10-14 minutes depending on the size of the cookie cutters used. The cookies will be light in color and should appear matte and dry. The edges should NOT be brown.

Step 6: Remove the lemon sugar cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the sheet tray for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Lemon Glaze

I went back and forth if these Gluten Free Lemon Sugar Cookies even need a glaze. They are delicious plain, but the lemon glaze made with fresh lemon juice really kicks them up a notch.

To make the lemon glaze, combine the powdered sugar and fresh squeezed lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. The lemon glaze should fall of the whisk or spoon in a wide ribbon. I always recommend doing a test cookie to see if you like the consistency of the glaze. If the glaze is too thick, add a tiny amount more lemon juice (or water). If it is too thin, add some more powder sugar.

Make sure the Gluten Free Lemon Sugar Cookies are completely cooled before glazing them. To glaze the cookies, hold the cookie firmly by the base and dip the surface directly into the glaze. Let the excess glaze drip off (I like to give the cookies a little shake) before placing the cookie back on the cooling rack. Alternatively, you can also spoon a little frosting in the middle of the cookie and with a back of a spoon spread it out evenly.

Sometimes there are little air bubbles in the lemon glaze which you can make disappear with a tooth pick. These happen if the icing was mixed too much.

If you like, you can decorate the cookies with your favorite sprinkles (make sure they are gluten free) or some sugared lemon zest (lemon zest rubbed into some granulated sugar).

Depending how thick your layer of icing is, it can take up to 30-60 minutes for it to be completely set up.

Storage & Freezing

Gluten Free Lemon Sugar Cookie Dough: I only refrigerate the gluten-free cookie dough for up to 3 days. I experienced that after longer storage the dough becomes crumbly and dry and therefore unpleasant to work with. Make sure to tightly wrap it in plastic wrap to limit drying out.

Baked, frosted/unfrosted Cookies: Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. Make sure the lemon glaze has completely set before stacking the cookies. I like to place a piece of parchment paper between the layers of cookies. This way they don't stick together.

Freeze Baked Cookies: Transfer the lemon sugar cookies to an airtight container and freeze up to 4 weeks. When ready to eat or decorate them, allow them to thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Unbaked Cookie Dough: Arrange the unbaked gluten-free cut-out cookies on a parchment lined sheet tray and place in the freezer until fully frozen. Once frozen layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper between them. Freeze up to 2 months. While it may still be safe to use after this period, the quality may gradually decline.

FAQ - Lemon Sugar Cookies

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.