These Raspberry Lemonade Cookies are buttery, sweet and tangy lemon shortbread-like cookies that are dusted with confectioners' sugar and filled with a sweet raspberry lemon icing! They're like summer in every bite! This recipe makes almost 3 dozen bite-sized cookies so they're perfect for a party! Best part is they’re gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
These Raspberry Lemonade Cookies are little sweet and tangy delights; like a refreshing glass of raspberry lemonade! I love this fruity dessert so so much; there’s nothing better than biting into a buttery cookie and meeting a nice pink lemony gooey center. This lemon shortbread cookies recipe is naturally egg free, so no cornstarch slurry is needed in the dough! In addition, it makes 34 little cookies; the perfect amount for a party or bake sale! They're gorgeous like my Brown Sugar Cookies with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting and even amazing for so many holidays, including Valentine's Day and Easter! My mom is obsessed with them and asks for them every Mother's Day!
For more raspberry dessert recipes, try my Lemon Raspberry Cookies, my Raspberry Cookies, my Raspberry Buttercream Frosting and my Happy Birthday Donuts!
Reasons to Love These Raspberry Lemonade Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These lemon raspberry cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Crumbly Texture- The insides of these cookies are crumbly yet tender and soft! They melt in your mouth just like my Strawberry Shortbread Cookies!
- Loaded with Lemon- These lemon cookies have lemon juice and lemon zest in the dough and are filled with a creamy lemon raspberry icing!
- Gorgeous All Natural Color- The raspberries make these cookies so gorgeous and perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, a pink party, Valentine's Day or the summer!
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 free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Confectioners' Sugar- This recipe calls for confectioners' sugar instead of granulated in the dough, because it helps to keep the shortbread-like dough super soft and light! In addition, it prevents the cookies from spreading because we want them to remain in a little snowball shape so we can press them down after baking.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Do not use melted or softened; the cookies will spread into a giant mess while baking. If using vegan butter, make sure to use only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Lemons- Please only use fresh squeezed lemon juice like in my Lemon Curd Pie. Prepackaged lemon juice can result in the cookies and icing having a chemical taste. We need a total of 2 medium lemons for the juice and zest combined.
- Raspberries- This icing uses 2 frozen raspberries to give it that pink hue and added sweetness! No need to defrost them!
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Lemon Cookies
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Only use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Use a non-dairy milk.
Make these Gluten Free Cookies with All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 ½ packed cups of regular flour (420 grams).
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
This recipe has not been tested with some of 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 Raspberry Lemonade Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make these pink lemonade cookies!
Step 1: Zest the Lemons
Wash and dry the lemons. Take a zester and both 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 both lemons, cut them in half and juice them. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside.
There should be about 4 tablespoons of juice. Keep 2 tablespoons separate.
Step 3: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, ½ cup confectioners' sugar and salt. Set aside.
Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is soft and creamy.
Add in the remaining ¼ cup confectioners' sugar and beat together until creamy; about 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add in the Other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest into the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on low speed until it starts to combine then increase the speed to whip into a creamy consistency.
Step 6: Add in the Dry Ingredients and Milk
On low speed, slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture and milk, alternating and starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Step 7: Roll the Dough into Balls and Chill
Break off a 1 inch piece of dough. Work it back and forth in your hands until smooth and then roll into a 1 inch ball.
Then chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Step 8: Make the Lemon Raspberry Icing
In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, raspberries and the lemon juice until combined and smooth.
Step 9: Bake, Dust with Sugar and Fill with Lemon Raspberry Icing
Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully press the end of a wooden spoon handle into the center of each ball to create a dent.
Continue to bake for an additional 6 minutes. Repeat making the hole with the back of the wooden spoon once removed from the oven. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
Dust completely cool cookies with confectioners’ sugar, spoon the pink icing into the indents and serve.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Real Lemons- This is to prevent the cookies and icing from having a chemical taste with store bought.
- 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 and prevent them from falling apart. Or read the gram measurement.
- 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. We want them to remain a little ball shape. As I mentioned earlier, if you're using vegan butter, only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Chill the Dough Balls- Roll the dough into one inch balls and refrigerate them for at least 10-15 minutes prior to baking.
- Cool the Cookies- Once the cookies have completely cooled, dust them with confectioners’ sugar and then pour the icing into each hole with a tiny spoon.
- Making The Icing- If the icing appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it appears too thick, add more lemon juice ¼ teaspoon at a time (from the extra 1 tablespoon of lemon juice). You want the glaze thin enough to pour but thick enough to solidify on the cookies. Also, if you want it a darker pink, add another raspberry.
- Let The Icing Harden- Let the icing harden for about 15 minutes prior to eating otherwise it will taste very tangy.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the dough the night before. Shape the dough into a thick disc, wrap it in plastic and keep it in the fridge.
If doing this, let the dough sit on the counter prior to baking until it is soft enough to roll into balls.
Or you can wrap the dough in plastic, pop it in a zip top bag and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using and then let come to almost room temperature prior to baking.
Or you can shape the dough into balls and freeze them for up to 30 days.
If making them ahead of time, bake them no earlier than the night before. Do not dust with sugar and do not fill them with the icing.
Store the unfilled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. When ready to serve, dust with confectioners' sugar and fill with the raspberry icing.
These cookies have a base that is very similar to a shortbread cookie base, however these contain milk and shortbread cookies do not.
For my thumbprints, I add the milk so it is a bit easier to make the dents without the cookies cracking everywhere. It makes the cookies a bit smoother which I like for the icing.
For a true shortbread lemon cookie, check out my Lemon Shortbread Cookies.
Storing: Store unfilled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store sugar dusted and icing filled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 3 days.
If in the fridge, let the cookies come to room temperature prior to eating as these cookies have a shortbread-like base and tend to get hard when cold.
Freezing: You can wrap the dough in plastic, pop in a zip top bag and freeze for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using and then once again, let come to almost room temperature prior to baking.
Or you can shape the dough balls and freeze them for up to 30 days.
More Raspberry Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Raspberry Lemonade Cookies
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookies
- 2.5 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar , plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 frozen raspberries
For the Lemon Raspberry Icing
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 raspberries , frozen
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
Instructions
Make the Lemon Cookies
- Wash and dry 2 lemons. Take a zester and zest the 2 lemons.There should be 2 tablespoons of zest. Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.
- Take 2 lemons, cut them in half and juice them. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside.There should be about 4 tablespoons of juice. Keep 2 tablespoons separate.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the 2.5 cups flour, ½ cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick until it is soft and creamy. Add in ¼ cup confectioners' sugar and beat together until creamy; about 2 minutes.
- Slowly beat the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest into the creamed butter and sugar.Mix on low speed until it starts to combine then increase the speed to whip into a creamy consistency.
- On low speed, beat in the gluten free flour mixture and ¼ cup milk, alternating and starting and ending with the flour mixture.Mix until a dough forms.
- Break off a 1 inch piece of dough. Work it back and forth in your hands until smooth and then roll into a 1 inch ball.Then chill the dough balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Make the Lemon Raspberry Icing
- While cookies are chilling, make the icing.In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 frozen raspberries (breaking up the berries) and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice until combined and smooth. Set aside.There will be raspberry flecks in the icing.
- Take the cookies out of the fridge and bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes.Remove from the oven and carefully press the end of a wooden spoon handle into the center of each ball to create a dent.Continue to bake for an additional 6 minutes. Repeat making the hole with the back of the wooden spoon once removed from the oven. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Dust cookies with confectioners’ sugar, spoon icing into indents, and let set, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe's was inspired by Martha Stewart's Pink Lemonade Thumbprint Cookies.
Arielle says
Delicious cookies! Perfect for a summer treat.
Sunny says
I missed something… the recipe says "2 raspberries" - is that per cookie, lol?
Lee says
Hi! Those are to make the icing! If you go to the instructions in the recipe card it says: Whisk together remaining 1 ¼ cups confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice with 2 raspberries in a bowl, breaking up berries. Hope that helps!!!
Valerie Taylor Shannon says
I have made at least a dozen of your recipes, and they are all good...this knocks it out of the park! My very domestic baking friend requested these for her daughter's wedding. Not one left! So pretty too.
Lee says
Oh so so glad!!! Thanks so much!
John says
Such a delightful blend of sweet cookie and tart raspberry icing!
Nancy DiPaola says
These cookies are easy to make. The directions are easy to follow . The cookies were a hit ! My family loved them
Lee says
So so glad!!! Thanks!