Soft and pillowy keto sugar cookies with a delicious sugar-free lemon frosting. A sneak peek recipe out of The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking!
Can you call it a sugar cookie if it doesn’t actually contain any sugar?
More importantly, do we even care? If it tastes and feels like a delicious frosted sugar cookie, why are we complaining?
No complaints here, and I wager that my fellow lemon lovers will have their mouths too full of these keto lemon cookies to complain much either!
Watch my video in the recipe card to see just how easy these delicious cookies are to make.
Keto Baking Guidebook
This is actually a recipe from my new (ish) cookbook, The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking. It’s a book of which I am immensely proud.
I am such a diehard chocolate lover that I often forget just how delicious lemon dessert recipes can be. When I first made these keto lemon cookies, I was delighted by how good they were and I told myself I would remember how much I loved lemon desserts.
But of course I forgot. When I made them for the video, once again I was blown away by how good they were. I won’t forget again!
This cookbook is filled with all sorts of delightful recipes – lemon, chocolate, savory, sweet, if you can bake it, I created a recipe for it. It’s the most comprehensive cookbook on keto baking out there!
Tips for Keto Frosted Lemon Cookies
So how do you make sugar cookies without using any sugar? Great question!
Using keto friendly sweeteners
There is a dizzying array of keto sweeteners on the market these days, and not all of them work in the same way. This means that they can affect the consistency and flavor of your cookies.
You will definitely want a sweetener that has “bulk” for both the cookies. Bulk refers to a sweetener that has significant volume, similar to sugar. So stevia and monk fruit extract won’t really work here.
But any erythritol based sweeteners, as well as BochaSweet or allulose should be fine. I personally prefer Swerve in these, as both BochaSweet and allulose can make them a little softer and more cake-y.
For the frosting, a powdered sweetener such as Swerve Confectioners works best. You could use a liquid sweetener but will need to reduce the added liquids to make sure it doesn’t end up too soft and goopy.
Lemon extract or lemon juice?
I used lemon extract in the cookies, along with some lemon zest. Using lemon juice would throw off the wet to dry ratio too much. I really like the lemon extract from Simply Organic.
However, in the frosting, I used fresh lemon juice. You could use some lemon extract in its place, but would need to increase the cream to thin out the frosting to a spreadable consistency.
Natural yellow food coloring
You don’t have to color your frosting, but a light yellow makes the cookies look even more lemony and inviting. The brand I use is an all-natural vegetable powder from Color Kitchen.
Use a very light hand when adding it. You can add a bit, beat that in, and add a bit more. I find that using too much makes for an overly bright, almost neon color.
How to store keto lemon cookies
These cookies aren’t overly moist, so they last well on the counter for 3 or 4 days. Store in an airtight container. If you think they will be around longer than that, you can refrigerate them for up to a week.
If you want to store the cookies even longer, they can easily be frozen. I recommend freezing the cookies separate from the frosting so they don’t get all smeared.
You can either make the lemon frosting fresh when you thaw the cookies, or you can freeze that in a separate container. Let it come to room temperature and beat it a bit to soften and make it creamy again. Then spread on the cookies and enjoy!
Ready to make these delicious frosted sugar cookies?
More keto lemon dessert ideas
- Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Keto Lemon Poppyseed Cake
- Sugar-Free Lemon Curd
- Keto Lemon Cream Pie
- Lemon Blueberry Mug Cake
- Lemon Magic Custard Cake
Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¾ teaspoon lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoon butter softened
- ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- Natural food coloring
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sweetener together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and extracts and beat until well combined.
- Add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until the dough comes together.
- Roll the dough inot 1-inch balls an dplace on the prepared cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand to about ½ inch thick.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until just golden around the edges, switching the pans halfway through baking. The cookies will be very soft still, but will continue to firm up as they cool.
Lemon Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Beat in the sweetener and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Beat in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Add one tablespoon of cream and beat until smooth. If the frosting is still thick, beat in the additional cream.
- Beat in a bit of yellow food coloring at a time until a lemon-y yellow is acheived.
- Spread the frosting over the tops of the cooled cookies. Decorate with a bit of grated lemon zest.
- To make lemon sandwich cookies, spread about 1 tablespoon of the frosting on the bottom of one cookie and top with another cookie.
Terri says
My great-grandmother passed away when I was 6, but to this day I sti remember her sugar cookies with that hint of lemon. Although her cookies didn’t have any frosting, the frosting is a wonderful modern twist. These cookies are very reminiscent of her cookies, and I will think of her fondly each time I make these, which will be often
Carolyn says
I am so glad it brings back lovely memories!
Lee says
I have made these several times. They are my go to treat. I have even changed the extract to almond flavor and they are very tasty. Thank you for this recipe!!
Carolyn says
Love that idea!
Hélène says
I just finished making them and they taste so good! I actually made 48 little ones instead of 24; so they would last longer. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Lisa says
Thank you for making this you’re life’s mission and work. It’s so meaningful to me as I try to stay healthy and avoid being a type 2 diabetic. I use your recipes for many occasions and the sweets for the times I feel like a treat or for festivities. I appreciate how hard you work on this and how many many recipes you have transformed into healthier versions. Keep up the very good and meaningful work.
Jhen says
I tried this recipe and I must say it’s awesome! It’s my fave cookie recipe. Thank you Carolyn for sharing!
Yvette says
These cookies are awesome. The flavor is so good. This recipe is a keeper.
momofabj says
Hi Carolyn, I just wanted to compliment you on your recipes. I have tried several recipes of yours and they are always delicious. I bought easy keto dinners and bought your baking one for kindle. I have found every recipe to be delicious and satisfying. I have been on a low carb diet for a year trying to lose weight and have been really struggling with recipes until I found you. I really appreciate all your time and effort into making many delicious recipes. I plan on buying the larger cookbook Friday, payday, once again I can’t tell you what a gift your cookbooks have been to me. p.s. I appreciate all the condiment recipes too!
Carol Fisher says
These cookies are WONDERFUL!!! And loved by all who taste them!!
Julie says
Can I use Super Sweet or Pyure? If so, how much? Thank you!
Janet says
These cookies are DELICIOUS !! They DO NOT TASTE like Sugar Free Cookies. All of my Diabetic customers love them, and order over and over. Thank you so much for creating this wonderful recipe !!
Sofia says
I’m not sure what I did but I made these today and while baking they spread to the size of my hand! They still tasted yummy but certainly not the neatest biscuits out there 🤣🤣
Carolyn says
Sounds like they didn’t have quite enough flour. Did you use a different sweetener, by chance?
Jon says
Loved these the first time I made them, and am now preparing to make them a 2nd time. Just as an aside, after letting them cool a bit, I frosted them, but left them on the cookie tray, then stuck them in the freezer overnight, before bagging them up for ‘permanent’ freezing. That got the frosting solid enough that I really didn’t make too much of a mess. Will be doing both this and the lemon cheesecake bars again in the next couple of weeks (though this time I plan to make the bars into an actual round cheesecake ….) Thanks again for the terrific recipes.
Yo Mac says
Thank you so much for his recipe. I am relatively new to Keto and staying away from the sweets is/was an issue. This cookie recipe is fantastic!