Lemon Zest Cookies | Gluten Free, Low FODMAP

Growing Home - Gluten Free Lemon Zest Cookies
These gluten free lemon zest cookies are so delicious! They are perfect for school lunch boxes, morning teas, gifts, bake sales, after school snacks, or an after dinner treat.

lemon zest cookies

MAKES

About 34 cookies (with an 8cm diameter, about 2 teaspoons of dough)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (solid or liquid)
  • 125gm salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup of organic raw sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 free range eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (or vanilla extract/ paste)
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup of white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup of tapioca flour
  • 1/2 cup of maize flour

OPTIONAL

  • 1/4 cup of chopped white chocolate (cut into small chunks about 1/2 cm x 1/2cm – the size of choc chips)
  • ¼ cup chopped macadamias, pine nuts or pecans (leave out if kids are taking these to school)
  • 3 teaspoons of dried rosemary, crushed

METHOD

  1. Prepare baking/ cookie sheets, with baking paper or by lightly oiling
  2. Preheat oven to 180degrees Celsius
  3. In a food processor, blend the coconut oil, butter, and sugar
  4. Add the eggs, zest, juice and vanilla, then blend again to combine
  5. Add the bicarb soda, baking powder and flours, blend until just combined
  6. If using them, add rosemary, white chocolate chunks or nuts, and blend very briefly until just mixed in
  7. Take out scoops of the cookie dough (about 2 teaspoons worth of dough) and roll into balls (if the mix is too sticky to work with, put it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm it up)
  8. Place the balls of dough on prepared baking/ cookie tray. Allow enough space (3 to 4 cm on all sides) between balls, to allow for spreading out when cooking
  9. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 8 minutes for chewy and softer cookies, or for crispy cookies, approximately 12 minutes (these will be browner).
  10. Allow to cool on the tray then move to a baking rack to finish cooling
  11. Repeat until all cookie dough is used, or see notes on freezing
  12. Store in an airtight container for a week.

TO FREEZE

  • After step 8, you can freeze the unbaked balls of cookie dough, in freezer-safe containers, with a layer of baking paper in between the layers
  • You can then defrost the dough to quickly bake a batch of gluten free lemon zest cookies

NOTES

  • If you didn’t take your butter out to soften (I never remember to!) cut it into cubes to help it soften at room temperature (rather than trying to somehow microwave it without melting it completely).
  • If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt to the mix.
  • You can find vanilla powder here or here.
  • You will need approximately one small lemon to achieve the juice and zest required