The #1 Best Gluten-Free Cookie Recipe According to Fans

Every once in a while a recipe becomes a runaway hit. According to Food Fanatic fans, our gluten-free lemon crinkle cookies are one such hit.

We'll even go so far as to declare this cookie recipe the #1 best gluten-free cookie recipe at least according to our readers...who are never wrong!

Not gluten-free but wondering if these cookies are the ones for you? Yes, yes they are. (As long as you love lemon!)

Let's be honest since we're among friends here. Gluten-free baking can be daunting, especially if it’s not something you’ve done before.

I know when I first started out, I mistakenly made very bland, heavy breads that I had to choke down. It wasn't great.

I certainly didn’t know that there were simple, delicious replacements for some of my favorites, like these gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.

I had myself convinced that gluten-free baking was simply too difficult for me, but the truth is I had very little knowledge on what to do, or why.

I was used to combining a few simple ingredients to get the desired outcome, without ever really wondering why it all worked out.

With gluten-free baking, you have to learn not only to replace an item here or there, but to add others to create the final product you want.

Take, for instance, these delicious gluten-free double chocolate chunk cookies that call for xanthan gum! The results are unbelievably good.

And while it sounds like a lot of work, the reality is that so many people eat less or no gluten now, and plenty of tried and true recipes are available online.

You can even make gluten-free baking a family affair and involve the kids. (We have lots of tips for baking with kids!)

I know my young ones love recipes that showcase something unique and fun - like these gluten-free chocolate thumbprint cookies.

Kids will love that they can brag about them being, literally, handmade!

I love a little bit of chocolate paired with citrus so if you love these lemon cookies, check out our gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with orange.

An important component to gluten-free baking will be your choice of flour. Which flour you select plays a big role in how your recipe bakes.

Check out our delicious gluten-free chocolate ginger cookie recipe, where you’ll get to experiment with coconut flour.

For this recipe, you’ll be using almond flour, which is easy to work with, but can be very bland on its own.

The lemon zest and extract are going to bring this recipe to life, and add that homemade finishing touch that you’re looking for.

To Make Our Gluten-Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies, You Need:

• The recipe - To get started, click over to save and print our gluten-free lemon crinkle cookie recipe!
• Almond flour - Plain, blanched almond flour is the primary ingredient for this recipe. Do not substitue a GF flour blend as it won't work as well with this particular recipe.
• Granulated sugar - No need to mention that sugar will add the perfect sweet balance to your lemon cookies!
• Lemon zest - Fresh, delicious lemon zest will add brightness and flavor to your recipe. You will not want to skip this! To obtain two tablespoons of zest, plan on using two medium to large sized lemons.
• Salt - Just a pinch of salt will balance the sweet and sour.
• Egg whites - For best results, you’ll want your egg whites to be at room temperature.
• Lemon extract - This will be the primary source of your delicious lemon flavor.
• Powdered sugar - Place in a small bowl that’s within reach so you can roll each cookie prior to baking.

How To Make Our Gluten-free Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. I love parchment paper for cookies - there’s nothing better than cookies that don’t stick and clean up is so easy.

Step 2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add almond flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Mix until combined and set aside.

Step 3. In a separate large mixing bowl, or in a stand mixer bowl, beat egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form.

Add lemon extract and gently fold to combine. Add your dry ingredients to the egg whites and mix to combine. The dough will be very thick and somewhat dry.

Step 4. Form the dough into small balls, roll in powdered sugar, and place approximately two inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned.

Gluten-Free Cookie Variations

Want to mix it up? Try replacing the lemon zest with lime, the lemon extract with coconut, and roll in toasted coconut for a tropical treat.

In the same way, you could swap out the lemon zest and lemon extract for orange for another citrus-packed variation.

If you’re looking to cut back on sugar a smidge, skip the powdered sugar - jjust remember the cookies won’t have the same fun crackling effect.