Lemon and lavender. The perfect combination. Uplifting, zingy lemons. Sweet, relaxing lavender. In a cookie.

In a gluten-free cookie.

These Gluten-Free Lavender Lemon Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of lemon flavor with the perfect amount of lavender's floral essence.

Birds Eye view: lavender lemon cookies on a counter with two slices of lemon, one cookie is missing a bite, and dried lavender scattered about.

They are perfect for any occasion when you want something extra special... a bridal shower, Mother's Day, Easter brunch, a summer gathering, or simply stored in your freezer to pull out anytime you are craving these seasonal flavors.

Add these lavender-lemon cookies to a gluten-free dessert charcuterie, along with berries, pink chocolate covered strawberries, and gluten-free sugar cookies.

Recommended Equipment

I use the following equipment in my kitchen, but also include alternatives so you can still make these cookies whether or not you have these supplies on hand.

Stand Mixer: You can work on prepping the next steps in the recipe, while the stand mixer does all the work. (alternative: a hand mixer)
Baking Sheets with Silicone Baking Mats: Silicone baking mats streamline cleanup and have the added benefit of helping the cookies to bake evenly, avoiding burnt cookie bottoms. (alternative: parchment paper)
Cookie Scoop #70 (0.9 tbsp): A small cookie scoop speeds up the process of scooping cookies. (alternative: use a spoon to scoop and roll the cookies by hand)

I have a small kitchen and am picky about which gadgets I let take up precious space. For years, I used the scoop-and-roll method with cookies, but I am so glad I finally got a cookie scoop. If you bake cookies often, it's worth including one in your kitchen toolbox.

Ingredients

Light Brown Sugar: The molasses in the brown sugar adds liquid to the recipe, contributing to the chewy, soft texture.
Butter (softened, about 30 minutes at room temperature): Adds an unmistakable buttery richness.
Egg Yolk: Egg whites can dry out a recipe, so using just the yolk helps to create a moist, chewy crumb in these cookies.
Lemon Zest & Juice: 1 large lemon or two medium lemons will give you enough zest for this recipe and you'll have enough juice left over to make a glass of lavender lemonade. Don't skimp on the zest, it adds so much fresh, lemony flavor to these cookies.
Dried Culinary Lavender: I use Anthony's French Lavender. It is tested and verified gluten-free. Unlike lemon zest, less is more when it comes to dried lavender flowers. There's a sweet spot between just the right amount of floral lightness and thinking you are eating soap. Stick to ½ teaspoon in the dough and ½ teaspoon in the lavender lemon sugar, and your cookies will be just right.
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I have tested this gluten-free cookie recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, my favorite gluten-free flour blend for non-yeasted recipes, like gluten-free pie crust and gluten-free salted caramel & dark chocolate cookie bars. If you use a different 1:1 replacement flour, make sure it contains xanthan gum, an important binder. If not, add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum. Use the scoop-and-level method to measure your flour: scoop the flour into a heaping cup without pressing it down, then level off the top with the back of a butter knife.
Baking Soda: Adds a rise and softness to the dough.
Salt: Brings out the lemon and lavender flavors in the cookie.
Granulated White Sugar: Mix with lavender and lemon for the perfect cookie coating.

Step By Step Instructions

Make Dough

Add light brown sugar and softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer and a large bowl.

Cream the sugar and butter until the mixture is light and fluffy. It takes about 3 minutes in the mixer to get a light, smooth consistency. If the mixture sticks to the bowl, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

After mixing for 2-3 minutes, your creamed butter & sugar will be light and airy.

Add egg yolk, lemon juice, half of the fresh lemon zest, and half of the lavender, and mix. (Reserve the other half of the lemon zest and lavender to add to the lavender-lemon sugar later, which will be used to coat the cookies.)

Once you add eggs and lemon juice, the consistency of the dough will be very wet & sticky.

In a medium bowl, use a whisk to mix the gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

Slowly add the flour mix to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer. Once the ingredients are combined, continue to mix the dough for an additional 2-3 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky, but will be easy to form into a ball.

Prepare Lavender Lemon Sugar

While the dough is mixing for the extra 2-3 minutes, I quickly prepare the lavender lemon sugar. In a small bowl, stir together white granulated sugar and the remaining lemon zest and lavender. The moisture of the lemon zest will attract the sugar. Make sure the lemon zest is well separated as you mix, so each grated piece of zest is completely coated. Set aside.

Chill Dough

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

Easy to make, these lemon lavender cookies require significantly more patience than labor, with a long chill time.

This lengthy time in the fridge serves two purposes. It allows the butter to solidify, so the cookies don't spread excessively while baking. The second purpose is to give time for the liquids in the recipe to hydrate the gluten-free flour, creating a deliciously soft cookie.

Assemble & Bake Lavender Lemon Cookies

Once the dough has chilled for three hours, preheat the oven to 350°.

Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats, or use parchment paper. Both are great for easy cleanup, but silicone baking mats also help to evenly distribute heat.

Remove the dough from the fridge and shape it into 1-inch dough balls, about the size of a walnut in its shell. You can scoop with a spoon and roll out the dough or use a small cookie scoop. Either method delivers the same result, the cookie scoop is just a bit faster.

Roll the cookie balls in the reserved lavender lemon sugar to coat generously. This step is essential to create the perfect sugar cookie with distinct citrus and floral flavors.

Place cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes. Do not let the cookies brown. We're going for a soft, chewy cookie.

Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes. The extra time on the tray allows the cookies to gently cook just a little bit longer without intense heat, keeping them soft.

It also helps prevent breakage. Gluten-free cookies are generally a bit more delicate than cookies bound together by gluten. We've added a few key ingredients to make up for the missing gluten (moisture from brown sugar, egg yolk, and xanthan gum in the flour), so these are no ordinary gluten-free cookies. Still, a couple of minutes on the baking sheet is helpful.

Transfer the lavender lemon cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool before serving.

These delicious cookies are just right with a cup of tea or a dainty bowl of ice cream.

Storage & Make Ahead

Store gluten-free lavender lemon cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Skip the fridge, or the cookies will dry out.

You can also freeze the dough to bake later. Assemble the cookies through Step 8, rolling in lavender lemon sugar. Place in an airtight container. For good measure, I add any excess lemon lavender sugar to the storage container with the cookies. Store in the freezer until ready to bake, up to 3 months. Place frozen cookie dough on prepared baking sheets to defrost a bit while preheating the oven.

Pull out to bake the next time you are planning a fancy tea party with your best friends.