Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/4 cup ghee (or vegan butter, or palm shortening for completely dairy free)
- 2/3 cup maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Cream Filling
- 1/4 cup palm shortening or vegan butter (or grass fed butter)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered monk fruit (or organic powdered sugar)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or whisk to cream together the ghee (or chosen fat) with the maple sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the grated lemon zest and lemon juice, then add the egg and beat until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Into the wet mixture, add the blanched almond flour, tapioca or arrowroot flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly until you form a thick, sticky cookie dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours, to allow it to firm up and develop flavor.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the chilled dough into balls approximately 2 teaspoons in size. Flatten each ball into a 2-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Place them on the baking sheets leaving about 1 1/2 to 2 inches between cookies to allow for slight expansion during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in batches in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until they are set and just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare Cream Filling: While the cookies cool, make the lemon cream filling. Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the palm shortening or butter with the powdered monk fruit or powdered sugar and lemon juice until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- Adjust Consistency: If the filling is too thick to spread easily, add a few additional drops of lemon juice and mix until you reach a creamy but thick consistency suitable for spreading.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Spread approximately 2 teaspoons of the lemon cream filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Top each with another cookie to form a sandwich.
- Store and Serve: Store any leftover sandwich cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy this refreshing paleo treat!
Notes
- For a completely dairy-free version, use palm shortening or vegan butter instead of ghee or grass-fed butter.
- Sugar alternatives like coconut sugar or maple sugar keep this recipe paleo-friendly.
- The cookies do not spread much during baking; spacing them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart is sufficient.
- The filling thickness can be adjusted with lemon juice to make spreading easier.
- Keep the cookies refrigerated after assembling to maintain freshness and texture.
- This recipe yields 24 single cookies or 12 sandwich cookies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Paleo
- Diet: Gluten Free
