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Keto Lemon Sugar Cookies

Keto Lemon Sugar Cookies are the sugar free cookie you’ve been craving. Slightly soft with bright lemon flavor, these cookies are made with almond flour and sweetened with monk fruit. Gluten free, keto, easy and delicious!

Eating less sugar doesn’t mean giving up your favorite sweet treats. Our readers rave about these No Bake Cheesecake Bars and Keto Peanut Butter Cookies.

Lemon cookies on parchment paper and dusted with powdered sugar.

Why these Cookies are Best

We take dessert seriously around here! When it comes to cookies, especially lemon cookies, I don’t mess around.

We tested and tweaked this recipe to get the perfect sugar free lemon cookie!

  • These cookies are sweetened with monk fruit instead of lab-created sweeteners. No chemical or chalky after taste in these cookies.
  • Almond flour gives lemon sugar cookies an ideal texture. Soft, chewy and so easy to pop in your mouth!
  • Made with lemon extract AND lemon zest for real citrus flavor.

Our keto chocolate chip cookie recipe needs to be next on your baking list! Or if you love lemon, try our keto lemon bars next.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed for keto lemon cookie recipe.
  • Monk Fruit. You’ll need the granulated version for the cookie dough and the powdered version for topping the baked cookies.
  • Almond flour. Double check the label on your bag to ensure it’s almond FLOUR not almond meal.
  • Salted butter. While I usually prefer to bake with unsalted butter, the added salt helps complement the tart lemon in today’s cookie recipe.
  • Lemon extract. Highly concentrated, this extract imbibes the cookies with rich lemon taste you just can’t get with juice. Use a pure lemon extract, not artificial flavoring!
  • Lemon zest. The secret to that alluring lemon fragrance that’ll have everyone racing to the kitchen!

How to Zest a Lemon

“Zesting” a lemon basically means removing the very outermost layer of the fruit’s peel. This colorful outer skin is where most of the lemon’s scent comes from.

Use a microplane grater or zester. Hold the lemon in one hand and the zesting tool in the other over a large bowl.

Gently press the lemon’s rind into the zester and pull it downward to remove the zest. Make sure none of the bitter white peel finds its way into your bowl of zest.

Step by step photos showing how to make sugar free lemon cookies.

Tips and Tricks

  • Using refrigerated lemons? Microwave them for 5 – 10 seconds to soften the peel. Softer lemons are easier to zest.
  • Flatten these cookies with the rim of a cup dipped in powdered monk fruit before baking.
  • Bake Keto lemon cookies until the edges begin to turn golden brown. They will look soft but continue to firm up as they cool.
  • Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. Enjoy within 4 days.
  • Next up? Try our keto coconut cookies, dipped in chocolate!
Stack of sugar free lemon cookies with bites removed.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze Keto Lemon Sugar Cookies?

You sure can! These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.

Can I use a different kind of sweetener in these cookies instead of monk fruit?

Yes, this recipe will work with most other sugar substitutes such as Stevia or Xylitol.

Can I substitute lemon juice for the lemon extract?

No, you cannot. Extract is much more concentrated in flavor than juice. To get the same amount of flavor with juice you’d have to use way more which would alter the ratio of liquids and solids in the recipe.

Is almond meal the same as almond flour?

No, almond meal is processed differently than almond flour. It has a darker color and coarser texture that will not work in these cookies. Make sure to use almond FLOUR here!

Gluten free lemon cookie dusted with powdered sugar.

More Sugar Free Desserts

Three lemon cookies on a white dessert plate.

Keto Lemon Sugar Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Keto Lemon Sugar Cookies are the sugar free cookie you've been craving. Slightly soft with bright lemon flavor, these cookies are made with almond flour and sweetened with monk fruit. Gluten free, keto, easy and delicious!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated monk fruit
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 cup powdered monk fruit, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with granulated monk fruit until combined. Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon extract. Beat until well blended.
  3. Add in the almond flour and baking powder and mix until dough comes together in bowl.
  4. Using about 2 Tablespoons of dough (or a medium cookie scoop) roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of a cup dipped in the powdered monk fruit sweetener (until about 1/2 inch thick).
  5. Bake 15-18 minutes, just until golden brown on the edgres. Cookies may be soft, but will continue to cook and firm up as they cool on pan.
  6. Once cooled, sprinkle with remaining powdered monk fruit.

Notes

  • STORAGE: Store cookies at room temperature in airtight container for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • I choose to use lemon extract instead of the fresh lemon juice for a more concentrated flavor. The lemon juice would make the cookie dough too wet to get the same amount of flavor as the extract.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 98Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

A Keto Lemon Sugar Cookie recipe so delicious you won’t even miss the sugar! Everyone can enjoy dessert when you bring these sugar free cookies to the party.

Gina White

Sunday 18th of December 2022

These are yummy and help me with my need for cookies without breaking my diet!! Win, win!!

Robyn

Tuesday 13th of December 2022

Anybody try without eggs? I could sub vegan butter, but the eggs...hmmm.

Norrice

Sunday 7th of January 2024

@Robyn, i used just eggs, a plant based item and also used a plant based vegan butter. Came out great!

Andrea Brunner

Tuesday 13th of December 2022

Love anything lemon! Can I use King Arthur measure for measure flour?

Kara

Tuesday 13th of December 2022

Lemon is my favorite!

Karen

Monday 12th of December 2022

So perfect for the Holidays. Who says low carb can’t be festive!!

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