This small batch of buttery, soft, gluten free lemon jelly bean cookies are a must for Easter! The gluten free cookies are made with a paleo flour mix, maple syrup, butter, and plenty of bright lemon. Finish the cookies with a lemon glaze and colorful jelly beans for a delightful spring treat.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and salt.
6 tablespoons blanched almond flour, 3 tablespoons arrowroot flour, 2 tablespoons coconut flour, 1 ½ tablespoons tapioca flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
Zest and juice one lemon into separate bowls and set aside. Depending on the size of your lemon, you may need the whole lemon for the amount of zest and juice in the cookies. Whatever you have leftover, can be used in the glaze.
In a medium mixing bowl using a hand held mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat the butter and maple syrup on medium speed until combined. It is ok if the mix looks a little curdled. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract (if using), lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat until well combined. Note - see the Notes below for using the stand mixer.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon lemon zest
In increments, sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until all of the flour has been added. Once all the flour is added, turn the speed up to medium and beat until all the flour is incorporated, no dry streaks remain, and a moistened dough forms.
Cover the dough and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
Using cookie scoop, scoop and roll into a ball 8 cookies. Depending on the size of your cookie scoop, you may get more or less cookies. Place on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Use the back of a teaspoon to make a well in each cookie. Bake the cookies for 16 minutes, or until the edges turn light golden brown.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, re-make the well in the center - if needed - with the back of a teaspoon. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
Zest and juice the other lemon into separate bowls and set aside. Depending on the size of your lemons, you may have some zest and juice leftover from the first lemon.
Add the powdered sugar, salt, and lemon zest to a small mixing bowl.
¼ cup powdered sugar, pinch salt, 2 teaspoons lemon zest
You have the option to make the glaze with all lemon juice, or half lemon juice half milk (or water). If making with all lemon juice - start with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and add more to reach your desired glaze consistency. If making with half lemon juice half milk - start with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and add milk (or water) to reach your desired consistency.
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice or milk
Mix until well incorporated and smooth.
Drizzle or spoon the glaze on top of the cooled cookies. Then place 3 (or as many as you like!) jelly beans in the center wells of each cookie. Let the cookies sit for about 5 to 10 minutes for the glaze to set. Enjoy!
24 jelly beans
Notes
Serving Size - This recipe is intended to be a small batch, and only tested as a small batch.
Stand Mixer - You can use your tilt head stand mixer and the standard attachments with a small 3 quart mixing bowl. The small mixing bowl is more effective for small batch recipes. Otherwise, the regular size mixing bowl may not mix the butter effectively (it will just smear it along the side of the bowl!)
Cookie Size - I used a small cookie scoop - about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons. Use any size cookie scoop you have, just keep an eye on the cookies while they bake as the bake time may need to be adjusted for the size of cookie.
Chill The Dough - Because of the butter, the cookie dough does need time in the refrigerator to allow it to chill and firm. Otherwise, the cookies may spread/melt when baked.
Lemons - I like to use organic lemons and they are naturally small. To get 2 teaspoons of zest for the glaze, you will probably need the whole lemon. The amount of lemon zest and juice used in the cookies and the glaze is entirely up to you - add more or less based on your preference. Careful not to add too much lemon juice to the cookie dough, or it will alter the texture.
Ingredient Substitutions - I have only tested the recipe as written.
Storing/Leftovers - The cookies will stay tender up to 3 days. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or Ziploc bag.