I’ll be honest. First time I tried mixing rosemary into a cookie, I was skeptical. I mean… that’s a chicken herb, right? But then I bit into one.
Wow.
Lemony.
Crispy-edged.
Soft in the middle.
And then this little earthy note from the rosemary comes in and just… pulls it all together. Not sweet-on-sweet. Just sweet-meets-smart.
That’s the cookie we’re baking today.
And bonus? They’re gluten free and made with ingredients you can find at just about any grocery store across the U.S. No need to order some rare unicorn flour online. We’re keeping it real and simple.
What You’ll Love About These Cookies
Naturally gluten free. No xanthan gum circus needed.
Fresh herbs + citrus. Not overpowering, just smart.
Crisp edges, tender centers. They don’t crumble into sand.
Perfect for spring, showers, holidays… or literally Tuesday.
Fresh Is Everything
Use fresh lemon juice.
Please skip the bottle. We want that real citrus brightness. And fresh rosemary? Game changer. Dried just won’t pop the same way.
You want people to ask what’s in these. That’s how good they are.
Tips for the Best Cookies Every Time
Use room temp butter. Cold butter will fight you.
Don’t skip the chill. Warm dough = spread city.
Fresh rosemary only. Chop it fine like you mean business.
Zest before you juice. Trust me, it’s just easier.
Ways to Serve Them
These cookies hold their own on a plate, but if you wanna dress them up:
Serve with hot tea or iced lavender lemonade
Sandwich with whipped mascarpone
Drizzle with lemon glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tbsp lemon juice)
They’re sweet, but not candy-sweet. Think grown-up cookie, but still fun.
Why This Recipe Works for Gluten Free Baking
I’ve tried a dozen versions of this, and this combo nails the texture without gums or weird flour mixes. That 1-to-1 flour blend has just the right starch-to-rice flour balance. And by creaming butter well and chilling the dough, we make sure the structure holds.
You won’t get that weird sandy texture some GF cookies have. These snap. Then melt.
Cookie Storage + Freezing
Room temp:
Keep in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Freezer:
Freeze unbaked dough balls or rolled-out shapes. Bake from frozen — just add 1–2 minutes.
Make It Your Own
Wanna switch it up?
Swap rosemary with thyme or lavender
Add white chocolate chips
Glaze with lemon icing
Use orange zest instead of lemon
As long as you keep the base recipe the same, you’ve got room to play.
Personal Note from My Kitchen
I brought these to a neighborhood cookie swap one year. I was nervous — everyone else had chocolate chip, peppermint bark, or sugar cookies. And then I walked in with lemon rosemary.
Guess which ones disappeared first?
Yup.
People kept circling back asking what that “fancy lemony shortbread” was.
These are the kind of cookies that don’t scream at you… they whisper. And the flavor hits after the second bite.
Great for Gifting
Wrap a few in parchment with twine. Add a sprig of rosemary. It looks like you tried, even if you just baked a batch on a random Tuesday night.
Print
Gluten Free Lemon Rosemary Cookies
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These buttery gluten-free cookies are bright with fresh lemon and gently infused with rosemary. Crisp at the edges, soft in the middle, and packed with flavor. Perfect for afternoon tea or gifting.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp (get the good stuff if you can)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 works great)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional for finish:
Extra lemon zest or rosemary leaves for sprinkling
Coarse sugar for edges
Instructions
Step 1: Beat the Butter Like You Mean It
Cream the butter and sugar together in a big bowl until it’s light and fluffy — at least 2 minutes with a hand mixer.
Add lemon zest, juice, rosemary, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix just until it looks like lemony mashed potatoes.
Step 2: Add the Dry Stuff
Pour in the gluten-free flour and salt. Mix on low speed until dough forms. If it feels a little dry at first, keep going. It’ll come together. Don’t overmix.
You should have a soft dough that holds shape.
Step 3: Chill Out
Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t skip this. It helps them keep shape and lets all those flavors get cozy.
Step 4: Roll + Cut or Scoop
You’ve got two options here:
Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters (great for parties).
Or scoop with a tablespoon and flatten slightly with your palm.
Either way, line a baking sheet with parchment.
Step 5: Bake to Golden Edges
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Place cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes — or until the edges look barely golden. Don’t overbake or they’ll lose that soft middle.
Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
Step 6: Make Them Pretty
While still warm, sprinkle with a touch more lemon zest or rosemary if you’re feeling fancy. A little coarse sugar doesn’t hurt either.
Notes
Use fresh rosemary and lemon for the best results. Don’t skip the chill time — it helps with texture. If using a different flour blend, adjust consistency if needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
