Ingredients

Lemon Curd:

100 g (½ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

Zest of 1 lemon (ideally organic and unwaxed)
3 large egg yolks, room temperature

¼ tsp salt
60 g (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice

55 g (½ stick) unsalted butter, cubed

Lemon Cookies:

150 g (¾ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

Zest of 2 lemons (ideally organic and unwaxed)
115 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
2 large eggs, room temperature

30 g (2 tbsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
240 g (2 cups) plain gluten free flour blend (see notes)

½ tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

90 g (¾ cup) powdered/icing sugar, for rolling

Instructions

Make the lemon curd: Use a glass or ceramic bowl and a non-metal saucepan to avoid metallic flavors. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips to release oils. Whisk in the egg yolks and salt until pale and slightly fluffy. Heat lemon juice just to boiling, then slowly drizzle into the egg mixture while stirring constantly to temper the eggs.

Cook the curd: Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickly coats the back of a spoon (about 4-5 minutes). Avoid boiling. Remove from heat, stir in the butter until melted, then strain through a fine plastic or silicone mesh sieve to remove zest if desired.

Cool the curd: Pour into a container, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent skin, and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate it for up to 2 days until needed.

Prepare the cookie dough: Rub the lemon zest into the sugar in a large bowl. Add melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla, whisking until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until smooth and batter-like. Do not add extra flour.

Chill the dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm it up and prevent spreading during baking.

Preheat and prepare pans: Set oven rack in the middle, preheat to 350ºF (180ºC), and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop and coat dough: Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to portion dough, then roll each piece in powdered sugar until coated. Shape into balls and place about 8 per baking sheet, spaced apart.

Indent and fill: Press a ½-tablespoon spoon halfway through each dough ball to create an indent. Fill each with a generous teaspoon of lemon curd.

Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 12 minutes until cookies spread, crack at the edges, and lemon curd is puffed but not bubbling. Keep the unbaked sheet chilled until ready.

Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They are wonderful warm but best chilled.

Tips & Variations

Use organic, unwaxed lemons for the best zest and juice flavor.

Do not add extra flour if the dough feels loose; this is normal and necessary for texture.

Chilling the dough is key to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.

If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract works just as well.

For a smoother lemon curd, strain it, but leaving zest in adds a lovely texture and extra flavor.

FAQs

Can I use a different flour blend for the cookies?

Yes, you can substitute your preferred plain gluten free flour blend. Ensure it doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, or omit the added xanthan gum if it does.

Why is it important to temper the egg yolks when making the lemon curd?

Tempering by slowly adding hot lemon juice to the egg yolks prevents them from curdling and ensures your lemon curd has a smooth, creamy texture without lumps.