These almond lemon cookies have a crunchy crust and a soft, chewy center. You need just one bowl and a fork, so they are a breeze to make. For gluten-free cookies, replace the flour with almond meal.
I love these cookies. They are not only delicious, but also so fuss-free that I keep coming back to this recipe. Plus, they are fool-proof and really, really hard to screw up.
Everyday cookie
Almond lemon cookies are great for the upcoming holidays but are equally great year-round for any occasion. The finely grated lemon zest adds a subtle lemon note to every bite. I love the combination of almond and lemon.
Gluten-free almond cookies
If you want to make them gluten-free, simply replace the all-purpose wheat flour with gluten-free flour or almond meal. That’s it.
More sweet recipes
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or/and give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear how the recipe turns out in your kitchen.
Easy Almond Lemon Cookies (1 bowl, no mixer)
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but recommended)
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest (freshly grated from 1 organic lemon)
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (200 g/7 oz) almond meal/finely ground almonds (see note)
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour (for gluten-free use gluten-free flour or ½ cup almond meal)
- For rolling: 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, more if needed
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 °F (160 °C) top and bottom heat.
- Add egg whites, almond extract, lemon zest, and salt to a bowl. Whisk for 15 seconds with a fork or hand whisk until the egg whites start becoming frothy.
- Stir in sugar until combined. Stir in almond meal and flour with a fork or spoon until all almonds are moist and come together to a dough. Knead the dough for a few seconds if it is too firm to stir with a spoon – it’s quite sticky though.
- Prepare a small dish with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar. Roll the batter into 30 small walnut-sized balls. If the dough is too sticky to shape into balls, add a little flour or almond meal to the dough until it is shapeable.
- Roll each ball in powdered sugar until coated. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with your palms (1.5 inches/4cm Ø). All 30 cookies will fit on one large baking sheet. Tip: You can leave them round too for an amaretti-style cookie (see photo above).
- Bake for 15-17 minutes in the preheated oven at 325 °F (160 °C). Depending on their size and your oven, the baking time may vary. The cookies will only rise slightly and will get those pretty cracks while baking. The center of the cookies should still be kind of soft to the touch when you take them out of the oven - they will firm up while cooling. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar if desired.
- If the outer shell is not crunchy enough after cooling, you can bake them for a few more minutes or simply leave in a container that is not fully air-tight (lid slightly open) overnight.
- Once they have the consistency you like, store them in a sealed jar or airtight container at room temperature to keep them soft and chewy as long as possible. They will keep a few weeks but will harden over time since the moisture evaporates.
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