These Lemon Blueberry Cookies are soft, chewy, sweet and tangy. This eggless sugar cookie recipe is made with lemon zest, lemon juice and frozen wild blueberries in the cookie dough, which gives them that lavender hue! For extra tang the dough balls are rolled into lemon sugar prior to baking making them utter perfection. Drizzled with a gorgeous magenta blueberry glaze, these colors are all natural! Best yet, these cookies also gluten free, nut free and can easily be vegan!
The outside of these beauties has a slight crunch thanks to the lemon infused sugar and the inside is soft and chewy! The lemon flavor isn't overpowering thanks to the sweetness from the blueberries; the flavors blend beautifully together! You don't have to add the blueberry drizzle but I think it gives these cookies something extra special! Thanks to all the moisture from the fruit, these beauties stay soft for days like my Strawberry Sugar Cookies!
For more sugar cookie recipes, try my super popular Sprinkle Sugar Cookies, my Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies, my Lemon Sugar Cookies and my Blueberry Cookies.
Reasons to Love These Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Chewy- The inside of these cookies have the most perfect texture.
- Covered in Lemon Sugar- The lemon sugar coating helps bring out that lemon flavor and gives the outside a nice crunch!
- Real Lemon Juice- The juice from the lemons gives the cookies this gorgeous yet mild tang like in my Lemon Buttercream Frosting!
- Blueberry Glaze- This glaze gives the cookies a lovely sweetness and a stunning color like in our Blueberry Crumb Cake!
- The Stunning Purple Color- These beauties have a gorgeous marbled lavender hue and the magenta glaze is just perfection and all natural!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Don’t use melted; the cookies will spread into a giant mess.
- Cornstarch and Water- These cookies have no egg so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Lemons- Please only use fresh squeezed lemon juice. Prepackaged lemon juice can result in the cookies having a chemical taste. We need a total of 3 medium lemons for the juice and zest combined.
- Blueberries- I prefer to use frozen wild blueberries because they make the cookies a lovely lavender shade. You can use regular size frozen blueberries, but the cookies will stay a pale yellow and be soft and fluffy versus soft and chewy. They're still delicious!
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
How to Make this recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 packed cups of regular flour (336 grams).
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
How to Make these with Regular Frozen Blueberries
- Use ¾ cup frozen regular size blueberries.
- Press a few blueberries into the tops of the cookies prior to rolling in the lemon sugar if desired.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes.
- Do not leave the dough in the fridge overnight as it will become super wet due to the moisture from the blueberries.
The images below are what the cookies will look like with the frozen regular size blueberries.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make these blueberry lemon cookies!
Zest and Juice the Lemons
Step 1: Zest the Lemons
Wash and dry all 3 lemons. Take a zester and zest all 3 lemons. Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.
Step 2: Juice the Lemons
Take one lemon, cut it in half and juice it. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside.
There should be about 2 tablespoons of juice. If there isn't enough, juice another lemon.
Make the Blueberry Jam
Heat the Frozen Blueberries
In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat ½ cup of the frozen blueberries in 20 second increments, stirring after each time, until they are soft, liquidy and jammy. This took me about 2-2.5 minutes.
Set aside to cool. They will thicken more as they cool.
Make the Cookies
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Cream the Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ¼ cups of the sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, milk, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look pale yellow and chunky.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients, Blueberries and Chill the Dough
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
Gently using a spatula, fold in the frozen blueberries. The dough will become a lovely purple color.
Keep the dough in the bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere.
Step 6: Make the Lemon Sugar
Once the dough is done chilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Mix until completely combined.
Step 7: Scoop the Dough and Coat with the Lemon Sugar
I use an ice cream scoop or a large cookie scoop to make large cookies. It makes 11 scoops.
Roll each dough ball in the lemon sugar mixture to coat completely.
Step 8: Bake the Cookies
Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
If adding the glaze, let the cookies cool completely before adding it, otherwise the glaze will turn into a liquid mess.
Make The Glaze (If Desired)
Step 1: Mix The Glaze Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cooled blueberry jam and the water until combined and smooth.
Step 2: Drizzle The Glaze
Drizzle the blueberry glaze on top of the cool cookies. If you drizzle it on warm cookies, the glaze with melt. Let the glaze harden.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess.
- Use Real Lemons- This is to prevent the cookies from having a chemical taste.
- Keep the Lemon Zest Airtight- If you leave it uncovered and not in a bowl covered in plastic wrap while you bake, it will dry out and become crunchy.
- Do not use Fresh Blueberries- Using fresh makes the dough way too wet and causes the cookies to spread out everywhere.
- Chill the Dough- If you don’t chill the dough for at least 1 hour, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape.
- Do not Chill the Dough Overnight- The dough will become way too wet due to the frozen blueberries and will develop a slimy texture.
- Making The Glaze- If the glaze appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it appears too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time. You want the glaze thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to solidify on the cookies.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the dough balls ahead of time and then freeze them. Let them come to almost room temperature before rolling them in the lemon sugar and baking.
If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most gluten free cookies, they’re actually so soft they stay fresh for several days but they must be stored in the fridge.
Yes! You can use a small cookie scoop.
Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 13 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make around 22 cookies.
That is because no food coloring is required to get that amazing hue; it's all natural so the color will be different every time.
The color of the cookies will vary depending on what type of blueberries you use to make them.
The color is never 100 percent the same, which makes it so fun.
To make them that lavender color, use the organic wild frozen blueberries as I did. Using regular size frozen blueberries will keep the dough more of the pale yellow.
Once the glaze has hardened, store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not leave them at room temperature as they get very wet due to the blueberries.
They're still soft when in the fridge but you can leave let them come to room temperature before eating if desired.
Other Lemon and Blueberry Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 cups gluten free flour (I use a 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
- 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
For the Lemon Sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon blueberry jam
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
Make the Blueberry Jam (If Making the Glaze)
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat ½ cup of the frozen blueberries in 20 second increments, stirring after each time, until they are soft, liquidy and jammy. This took me about 2-2.5 minutes. Set aside to cool. They will thicken more as they cool.
Make the Cookies
- Wash and dry all 3 lemons. Take a zester and zest all 3 lemons. Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.
- Take one lemon, cut it in half and juice it. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside. There should be about 2 tablespoons of juice. If there isn't enough, juice another lemon.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ¼ cups of the sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, milk, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look pale yellow and chunky.
- Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
- Gently using a spatula, fold in the remaining ½ cup frozen wild blueberries. The dough will turn a lovely purple.
- Keep the dough in the bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. Using an ice cream scoop, or a large cookie scoop, scoop the dough out. You should have 11 scoops.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Mix until completely combined.
- Roll each dough ball in the lemon sugar mixture to coat completely.
- Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them into a circle.Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.If adding the glaze, let the cookies cool completely before adding it, otherwise the glaze will turn into a liquid mess.
Make the Glaze (If Desired)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cooled blueberry jam and the water until combined and smooth.
- Drizzle the blueberry glaze on top of the cool cookies. If you drizzle it on warm cookies, the glaze with melt. Let the glaze harden.
John
These cookies are the best! I love the flavor and the way they look!
Michelle
I was SO excited when I saw these were being worked on on Instagram and RAN to make them once the recipe was posted. These cookies smelled so incredible, I couldn't believe it. The recipe is super straightforward and easy to follow.
I made mine gluten free and vegan using Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-To-1 Baking Flour and vegan butter. They held up pretty well, but they did spread some. This is because I did not chill the dough more than an hour - HIGHLY recommend chilling the dough for probably two hours - directions list at least an hour, so I would agree with more time.
I ended up having to bake mine a bit longer, but then struggled to shape them since the dough had essentially set at that point, so I would do it differently the second time around by reshaping them when doughy.
Overall, a new favorite! So yummy 🙂
Lee
Thanks so much!
Ginny
These are so yummy and the color from the blueberries is just incredible!!
Lisa
This recipe was phenomenal. When needing bake sale items for my daughter's school I needed to account for a number of allergies within the school so everyone could enjoy a treat. This recipe was the perfect for everyone and was a one-stop-shop accommodating all! Plus, they were a taste sensation!
Lee
So so glad! Thanks so much!!
Natalia
Can you explain how much xathum gum you use?
Lee
Hi! The gluten free flour I use already contains xanthan gum. However, if adding it on your own, I read you should use 1/4 teaspoon-1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour. Hope that helps!
Natalia
Thank you. I am on a keto diet for my diabetes so I’m trying to use this recipe with a keto flour or almond/coconut flour mixture
AJ
I rarely leave reviews but these cookies are so good so I have to! I made them once and they were quickly requested again! I used Robin Hood Gluten Free All Purpose flour and they turned out great. The rest time on the cooking racks was a must - they didn’t even fall apart after they cooled. Pretty impressive for a gf cookie! The lemon and blueberry flavour is perfect for spring/summer. I’m looking forward to making this again!
Lee
Oh gosh I'm so glad!!! Thank you so so much!!!
Jenny
I’m curious how seedy the cooked blueberries got? I don’t know why but I always find frozen blueberries to be so seedy and I don’t like that grittiness, plus RA meds have ruined my teeth a lot so I have a hard time and seeds get stuck 😥. Are there better brands than others?
Lee
Hi! I really didn't find them seedy at all! I don't like seedy cookies, which is why with my strawberry sugar cookies I make a strawberry syrup instead of using jam. I really like Wyman's frozen wild blueberries. They're super tiny and break down easier and I find them less seedy! Hope this helps!