Description

Delight in these soft and tangy Lemon Blueberry Cookies, featuring a gluten-free flour blend infused with fresh lemon zest, wild blueberries, and topped with a sweet homemade blueberry glaze. Perfectly balanced between tart and sweet, these cookies offer a refreshing summertime treat that’s easy to make and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (with xanthan gum)
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 rounded 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)

Blueberries and Coating

1 cup frozen wild blueberries (divided)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)

Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon blueberry jam (homemade from heated frozen blueberries)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

Make the Blueberry Jam: Heat 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring each time, until the berries become soft and jam-like, about 2 to 2.5 minutes. Set aside to cool; the jam will thicken as it cools.
Zest and Juice Lemons: Wash and dry all three lemons. Zest all lemons and cover the zest to keep it from drying out. Juice one lemon (about 2 tablespoons) and remove any seeds. If the juice is insufficient, juice an additional lemon.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
Prepare Cornstarch Mixture: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until thin and watery, despite initially being thick and tacky.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until soft and creamy.
Add Wet Ingredients: Gradually beat in cornstarch mixture, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice into the creamed butter and sugar. Mixture should look pale yellow and slightly chunky.
Combine with Dry Ingredients: Slowly incorporate the gluten-free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
Fold in Blueberries: Gently fold in the remaining 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries using a spatula, turning dough a lovely purple color.
Chill Dough: Cover dough bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading during baking.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Form Cookies: Using a large (2 oz) cookie scoop, form 11 dough balls. In a small bowl, mix remaining granulated sugar and lemon zest. Roll each dough ball in lemon sugar to coat fully.
Bake Cookies: Place dough balls 3-4 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, working in batches if needed. Keep unbaked dough refrigerated while baking.
Reshape and Cool: Immediately after baking, gently reshape each cookie with a spatula into a circle and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely to avoid breakage.
Make the Glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cooled blueberry jam, and water in a small bowl until smooth and combined.
Glaze Cookies: Once cookies have completely cooled, drizzle the blueberry glaze on top and let it harden. Avoid glazing warm cookies to prevent melting.

Notes

Refrigerating the dough for at least 1 hour is crucial to prevent excessive spreading during baking.
Using frozen wild blueberries gives a vibrant color and burst of flavor; do not substitute with fresh if you want the same effect.
Ensure cookies are fully cooled before glazing to maintain the glaze texture and prevent melting.
Cookies can be baked in batches and excess dough kept chilled in the refrigerator.
The lemon sugar coating adds an extra zesty crunch on the outside of the cookies.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Lemon blueberry cookies, gluten free cookies, lemon zest cookies, blueberry glaze cookies, holiday cookies, gluten free dessert