Keto Lemon Cookies

Jump to Recipe Cookbooks Meal Plan

Tangy, zesty and gently sweet: Keto lemon cookies are easy to make, delightfully soft and buttery. Only 6 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes!

I'm a big fan of all things lemon. You may have come across some of the lemon recipes on my blog - there are quite a few.

There's the keto lemon mug cake which is ready in minutes. Or the incredibly creamy sugar free lemon curd, this zingy low carb lemon cheesecake, sugar free lemon sorbet and my (very popular) keto lemon bars.

But no cookies! It was time to add keto lemon cookies to my repertoire.

This very delicious, incredibly moreish cookie recipe has evolved from my raspberry thumbprint cookies. I tweaked the recipe and added PLENTY of lemon juice and zest to turn them into wonderful little bites of summer.

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

Buttery cream cheese cookies with zesty lemon flavor
Moist, soft and chewy texture
Generously sized - makes 12 large cookies
Easy recipe - only 6 ingredients
Gluten-free and keto friendly - 2g net carbs per cookie
Quick - 5 minutes prep, 15 minutes in the oven

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

Cream cheese - should be full fat
Butter - unsalted and room temperature
Powdered sweetener - I used a powdered erythritol. Erythritol monk fruit sweetener blends will also work well, as would Swerve, Bocha Sweet, xylitol or allulose.
Egg - medium sized
Almond flour - I used ground almonds, which is the same as regular almond flour in the US. If your almond flour is super-fine, reduce by 2 tablespoons.
Lemon - juice and zest.

Instructions

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Butter, cream cheese and other ingredients in a food processor bowl.

Step 1: Cream the butter, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest with the powdered erythritol until smooth. Option to also add a pinch of salt. Use a food processor or an electric mixer.

Step 2: Add the egg and blend until well-combined. Your mix will be very liquid.

Wet ingredients and almond flour in a bowl.

Step 3: Add the almond flour and blend until a smooth dough forms.

Step 4: The cookie dough will be quite soft at this stage. Chill it in the fridge or in the freezer to make it easy to handle.

Step 5: Form cookie dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Option to use a cookie scoop.

Flatten them with your hands to form thick discs. Then bake until they are firm on top and lightly browned at the bottom.

Step 6: Stir together the lemon juice with the powdered sweetener for the glaze. Spoon or drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Expert Tip

Don't miss out on the lemon zest. It adds a fragrant note that is simply irresistible.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use granulated sweetener?

If you only have granulated sweetener, blend it in a food processor to make it powdered.

How can I make these cookies crunchy?

The recipe is designed for soft cookies. To make them crunchy, double the amount of butter, leave out the cream cheese and use an egg white only instead of the entire egg. Also, make sure your cookies are flatter. Bake until browned.

Can I make them smaller?

The recipe can be easily stretched to 20 small cookies. The oven time will reduce to about 8-10 minutes.

Does bottled lemon juice work?

Yes, although you'd be missing out on the lemon zest. Also, fresh lemon tastes better and does not contain preservatives or additives.

Could I use lemon extract?

I don't recommend it.

Variations

Other citrus fruits: Try the recipe with orange, clementine or lime.

Almond milk glaze: Instead of the lemon juice, make the sugar free glaze with almond milk.

Lemon crinkle cookies: Roll the cookies in granulated sweetener before baking.

Dairy-free: Use coconut cream instead of the cream cheese and coconut oil instead of the butter.

Nut free: I often get asked how to replace almond flour with coconut flour. I don't recommend it for these lemon keto cookies because you'd have to change other ingredients as well. I suggest you use my coconut flour cookies and add lemon juice to the recipe.

Baking powder: You can add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to make the cookies fluffier.