These gluten free lemon poppy seed cookies are exactly what you need when you want something sweet and citrusy.
They have that perfect balance of tangy lemon flavor and the nice crunch from poppy seeds. The best part is they’re made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. No fancy stuff needed here.
What makes these cookies special is how soft and chewy they turn out. The cream cheese in the recipe keeps them moist, while the almond flour gives them a really nice texture.
They’re not too sweet either, which means you can enjoy them with your morning coffee or as an afternoon snack. The lemon glaze on top adds just the right amount of extra flavor without being too much.
The great thing about this recipe is that it works for so many different occasions. You can make them for a family gathering, pack them in lunch boxes, or just keep them around the house for when you need something sweet.
What Makes This Recipe Special
Cream Cheese Makes Them Extra Soft: The cream cheese in this recipe is what makes these cookies incredibly moist and tender.
Regular gluten free cookies can sometimes turn out dry or crumbly, but the cream cheese prevents that completely. It acts like a natural moisturizer that keeps the cookies soft for days. Plus, cream cheese adds a subtle richness that makes each bite more satisfying.
Quick 20 Minute Bake Time: These cookies bake in just 20-22 minutes, which means you can have fresh homemade cookies ready really fast. This is perfect when you’re craving something sweet but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
Poppy Seeds Add Perfect Crunch: The poppy seeds in this recipe give the cookies a really nice texture contrast. They add a subtle crunch that makes each bite more interesting.
Poppy seeds also have a slightly nutty flavor that pairs amazingly well with the lemon.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
- 2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds
- 6 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar or Granulated Sweetener
- 3 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
For The Lemon Glaze
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar or Confectioner’s Sweetener
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
How To Make
Follow these simple steps:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Add these ingredients to a large bowl: almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds. Mix them really well.
Step 3
Beat the cream cheese, sweetener, egg, and lemon juice in another medium bowl.
Step 4
Add the almond mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix until well combined – use a hand mixer to speed things up.
Step 5
Divide the dough it into 6 to 8 balls. Flatten each on the lined baking sheet and bake for about 20-22 minutes. Enjoy!
Tips
1. Room Temperature Cream Cheese is Key
Make sure your cream cheese is completely soft before you start mixing. Take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking, or you can soften it quickly by cutting it into small pieces.
Cold cream cheese will create lumps in your dough that won’t mix out, and your cookies will have weird chunks in them.
When the cream cheese is properly softened, it should give easily when you press it with your finger. Soft cream cheese mixes smoothly with the other ingredients and creates that perfect creamy texture that makes these cookies so good.
2, Don’t Overmix the Dough
Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing gluten free dough can make your cookies tough and dense instead of soft and tender.
Almond flour and coconut flour behave differently than regular flour, so they don’t need as much mixing. Use your hand mixer just until you don’t see any dry flour streaks, then stop.
The dough should look uniform but you don’t need to beat it for minutes like you might with regular cookie dough.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
Look for edges that are just starting to turn light golden brown, while the centers still look slightly soft and pale.
The cookies should feel set when you gently touch the top, but they shouldn’t be hard.
They’ll continue cooking a little bit after you take them out of the oven, so don’t wait until they look completely done or they’ll end up overbaked and dry.
Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
- 2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds
- 6 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar or Granulated Sweetener
- 3 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
For The Lemon Glaze
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar or Confectioner’s Sweetener
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add these ingredients to a large bowl: almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds. Mix them really well.
- Beat the cream cheese, sweetener, egg, and lemon juice in another medium bowl.
- Add the almond mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix until well combined – use a hand mixer to speed things up.
- Divide the dough it into 6 to 8 balls. Flatten each on the lined baking sheet and bake for about 20-22 minutes. Enjoy!