Satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt with this delicious and super soft Sugar Free Lemon Cookie recipe! Made with fresh lemon zest, natural sweeteners, and no added sugars, these cookies are a healthier twist on a classic favorite.
Plus, they're easy to make and perfect for a snack or dessert. Keto, Low carb and diabetic friendly cookies everyone can enjoy. Want more sugar free cookies? Try my Strawberry Low Carb Cookies.
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I just love cookies and I can't get enough of these Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies. Plus you might want to check out all our other sugar free cookie recipes like these Collagen Cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies.
Want more desserts? Check out our 30 Diabetic Friendly Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth.
Why you'll love this sugar free lemon cookie recipe
There are several reasons why you will love this sugar-free lemon cookie recipe:
- Healthier Option: These cookies are sugar-free, making them a healthier option for those who are looking to reduce their sugar intake.
- Lemon Flavor: The lemon flavor in these cookies is refreshing and tangy, making them perfect for a treat or for satisfying your sweet tooth.
- Easy to Make: This recipe is easy to follow and doesn't require many ingredients, so you can whip up a batch of cookies in no time.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the recipe to suit your preferences. For example, you could add some chopped nuts or swap out the lemon flavor for a lime flavor.
Overall, these sugar-free keto lemon cookies are a delicious and healthier alternative to traditional cookies. So, if you're looking for a guilt-free snack or dessert, this recipe is definitely worth trying!
Main ingredients
Simple and easy-to-follow recipe with only a few ingredients to make these low carb lemon cookies.
- Almond Flour: made from ground blanched almonds and is low carb and gluten free.
- Powdered Sweetener: feel free to use your preferred sweetener like erythritol, monk fruit or allulose. We also use some for rolling the cookies.
- Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice: we want all those lemony citrusy flavors coming through in these cookies.
- Egg Whites: egg whites create a heavier dough that gives up less moisture and steam, this is what you want for these lemon cookies.
- Yellow Food Coloring: totally optional but I like adding a little bit of yellow to these cookies, it's totally for aesthetics and not flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Steps by step instructions
How to make this sugar free lemon cookie recipe?
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour and a ¾ cup of powdered sweetener. Then add the egg whites, lemon juice and zest and the food coloring (if using).
Mix everything together with a rubber spatula until well combined and the cookie dough batter is smooth. Then scoop out the cookie batter and drop it in your hand and roll it into a ball.
STEP 2: Roll each cookie dough ball in the powdered sweetener just to coat. Then place each cookie on a parchment lined baking sheet.
STEP 3: Once on the cookie sheet flatten each ball with a spatula knife. We do this to get them into a cookie shape as they won't flatten anymore in the oven.
STEP 4: Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 12- 15 minutes. These sugar free cookies should be fragrant and lightly browned around the edges. Allow cookies to cool before moving them to a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sweetener (optional)
More lemon recipes you might enjoy
Recipe tips
Here are some helpful tips to make these lemon sugar cookies.
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice will give your cookies a bright and tangy flavor, so it's worth taking the extra time to squeeze your own lemons instead of using bottled juice.
- Don't Overbake: Overbaking your cookies can result in a dry and crumbly texture. Keep a close eye on your cookies while they bake and remove them from the oven as soon as they start to turn light brown around the edges.
- Lemon Extract: If you want to add more lemon flavor to your sugar-free lemon cookies, you can add lemon extract to the recipe. Start by adding a few drops of lemon extract to the dough and mix well. Taste the dough and add more extract as needed. Be careful not to add too much extract as it can give the cookies a bitter taste.
Storage
To store sugar-free lemon cookies, allow them to cool completely and then place them in an airtight container. You can store them at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
For longer storage, you can freeze the cookies for up to 2-3 months. When you're ready to enjoy them, simply thaw the cookies at room temperature or reheat them in the oven for a few minutes.
Recipe variations
These sugar free lemon cookies are perfect but if you want to have fun and make a few variations here are a few ideas.
- Flavor Variations: Instead of lemon, you can try other citrus flavors, such as lime or orange. You can also add other flavors, such as vanilla extract or almond extract.
- Add-ins: You can add chopped nuts, such as almonds or pecans, or dried fruit, such as cranberries or raisins, to the cookie dough for added texture and flavor.
- Icing: You can make a simple icing by mixing together powdered erythritol, lemon juice, and a little water, and drizzle it over the cooled cookies.
- Shape: Instead of traditional round cookies, you can shape the dough into bars or cut-out shapes using cookie cutters for a fun twist on the classic cookie.
- Almond Flour Substitution: You can substitute the almond flour with other gluten-free flours, such as coconut flour.
You might also enjoy these peanut butter keto chocolate chip cookies.
Frequently asked questions
While bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch, fresh lemon juice will give the cookies a brighter and fresher flavor.
Yes, you can use other sugar substitutes such as stevia or monk fruit sweetener, but keep in mind that the sweetness level may vary.
Sugar-free lemon cookies made with sweeteners can be a good option for people with diabetes as they have a low glycemic index and don't significantly raise blood sugar levels.
However, it's still important to monitor blood sugar levels and consume these cookies in moderation. It's always best to consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to determine the best diet plan for managing diabetes.
📖 Recipe Card
Sugar Free Lemon Cookie Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¾ cup low carb sweetener
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Should only need 1 lemon
- 2 drops of yellow food coloring optional
- ¼ cup low carb sweetener for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour and powdered sweetener.2 cups almond flour, ¾ cup low carb sweetener
- Add the remaining ingredients except for powdered sweetener for rolling and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined.2 large egg whites, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2-3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 drops of yellow food coloring
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out balls of the cookie batter into your hands and roll, then roll in the powdered sweetener. Place on a parchment lined cookie tray.¼ cup low carb sweetener
- Use a spatula knife or the bottom of a tumbler glass to flatten the cookies.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. (see video below)
- (See the video instructions if further clarification is needed)
Notes
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice will give your cookies a bright and tangy flavor, so it's worth taking the extra time to squeeze your own lemons instead of using bottled juice.
- Don't Overbake: Overbaking your cookies can result in a dry and crumbly texture. Keep a close eye on your cookies while they bake and remove them from the oven as soon as they start to turn light brown around the edges.
More Information
This recipe card provides the basic details to make this recipe. For more information, tips and variations please review the content above the recipe card.
Updates and Revisions
If conflicting information between the video and recipe card, the recipe card will always have the most up to date information, ingredients and instructions.
Nutritional Information
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooked food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more food guidelines
Oscar Chimenti says
That's strange, I have made this recipe many times and never had that issue.
Rose says
hey there can this cookies come out crunchy rather then soft? please reply soon.
Oscar Chimenti says
I've never tried to bake them crispy. You could try flattening them more and possibly bake them for a little longer, just watch them so they don't burn.
Dayna Cosby says
The cookies turned out great and tasted really good! I'll definitely make these cookies again!
Oscar Chimenti says
Thank you, I love lemon cookies.
Carol says
Can another flour be used in place of almond flour?
Oscar Chimenti says
If you want to keep it low carb you can also use coconut flour instead of almond flour. You will need to make some modifications and decrease the amount of coconut flour and increase the amount of liquid. The best rule of thumb is to replace every 1 cup of almond flour with a ¼ cup of coconut flour. Then, increase the amount of liquid by using one additional egg for every ¼ cup of coconut flour used for in the recipe.
RONDA says
what kind of almond flour
Oscar Chimenti says
Hi. I link to the almond flour in the recipe card. I use a blanched extra fine almond flour.