Gluten-Free Italian Lemon Cookies (Vegan, Allergy-Free)

Buttery, sweet, and zesty, these Gluten-Free Italian Lemon Cookies are a traditional holiday treat! Vegan and allergy-free, these lemon knot cookies are also known as Tarallucci al Limone or Anginetti in Southern Italy. A perfect pop of citrus and melt in your mouth texture, these knot cookies are finished with a simple lemon glaze and decorated with sprinkles!

If you love cookies and you love lemon, then these classic Italian cookies are for you! Sweet and zesty, bright and buttery, beautiful to look at, and fun to make! You may have memories of making these lemon knots with your Italian grandmother as a child, mixing the dough, rolling it out, and looping a little knot that bakes to golden soft perfection! Tarallucci al limone are perfect for big family holidays like Christmas or even celebrations like weddings where tarallucci were traditionally served!

A Classic Italian Lemon Cookie

Italians know a thing or two about cookies! From anisette to amaretto, they're all so flavorful and fragrant! These anginetti cookies are flavored with just the right amount of citrusy lemon extract and fresh lemon zest! The simple icing is made with real lemon juice for a perfectly tangy and sweet balance! This classic Sicilian cookie goes by many names (as most Italian treats do!) and you may know them in your family as tarallucci, specifically tarallucci al limone, (in English: Italian lemon knot cookies) or anginetti, (in English: Italian lemon drop cookies).

The traditional tarallucci knot cookie is a staple for holidays and weddings, symbolizing two people "tying the knot" in holy matrimony. Similar to the ring shape of ciambelle cookies. If you want a simplified version, the anginetti, "lemon drop cookie", is an easier cookie to make, no twisting required!

Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Recipe

Gluten-free Italians rejoice! You can still enjoy your favorite classic lemon cookie (it may even rival grandma's!). This vegan and allergy-free recipe is simple and easy, letting you add these zesty cookies to your Italian Christmas cookie platter or to serve at your next wedding buffet! These cookies are:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Low in Sugar or Sugar-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick, Easy, Make-Ahead Recipe
• A Great Dessert for Christmas, Easter, Holidays, and Celebrations

Ingredients For Italian Lemon Knot Cookies

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour + Baking Powder: Your favorite gluten-free all-purpose or baking flour blend, plus some extra baking powder will be the base of your cookie dough.
• Granulated Sweetener: To make these cookies sugar-free you can use something like Swerve or just your go-to granulated sugar of choice.
• Vegan Egg Replacement: You can use a commercial "powdered" egg replacement, like Bob's Red Mill, or you can use flax eggs. If you use flax eggs, you'll see little flecks of brown in your finished cookies, but either will work!
• Vegan Butter: Dairy-free butter is what keeps these cookies moist and soft. You only need ½ stick or ¼ cup.
• Fresh Lemon Zest: Using fresh lemon zest in the cookie dough is key for flavor! Without the need for sour lemon juice, the zest provides the natural citrus oils of the lemon, amplifying the taste!
• Lemon Extract: Unless you can get your hands on Meyer lemons (the sweet variety), it's better to use pure lemon extract for baking these Italian cookies. There won't be any offputting sourness, plus the concentrated extract is easier to get just the right lemon taste!

Ingredients For Lemon Glaze

• Powdered Sweetener: The base of your super simple lemon glaze is a confectioner-style sweetener. You can use Swerve to keep it sugar-free or any powdered sugar you'd like.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: Instead of using water to make your glaze liquidy, you'll be using a few teaspoons of fresh lemon juice so your cookies can get once last lemon flavor punch!
• Sprinkles: To finish off your Italian cookies, you can sprinkle on some yellow sprinkles. You can also use rainbow sprinkles or extra fresh lemon zest!

How To Make Italian Lemon Cookies

1. First, cream together the sugar and vegan butter.
2. Add the lemon zest, extract, and prepared vegan egg replacements and beat together.
3. Finally, add the gluten-free flour and baking powder and mix together until you have soft cookie dough.

You can chill the dough while your oven preheats, or preheat the oven in advance and skip the chilling (if you're fast), and you prepare your flat workstation to shape the cookies. You also don't need to chill the dough if you want to make lemon drop cookies, anginetti, instead.

How To Shape Tarallucci al Limone (Lemon Knots Cookies)

1. Divide the cookie dough into 6 balls.
2. Roll out each ball into a long, thin, log, about ½-inch in width.
3. Cut the log into about 4-inch pieces and wrap the pieces up into a knot.
4. Place the lemon knots on prepared baking sheets with space in between each cookie and bake until golden.

Tips For Making Lemon Knots

• If your dough seems too dry, add a few teaspoons of water until the dough is rollable. (Your dough will be easier to roll and knot if you use flax eggs).
• You can work with smaller pieces of dough if it's easier. Golf ball-sized dough balls for each cookie if you want to roll them out individually without cutting a longer log.
• Don't worry about your knot looking perfect. You'll be covering your cookies in the lemon glaze on sprinkles!
• You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the cookies dough. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as you work the dough together.
• If you want super lemony cookies, you can add more fresh lemon zest and extract to taste!
• The easiest way to make fresh lemon zest is by using a Microplane.

How To Make Lemon Glaze

This simple 2-ingredient glaze is one of those things that you can eyeball and make as much or as little are you need. If you don't even want to ice your cookies, you don't have to, but we all know cookies are better with a little glaze and sprinkles!

1. In a small bowl add your powdered sugar and one teaspoon of lemon juice at a time.
2. Mix together until a thick, but pourable, slightly drippy, and tacky mixture forms. Add more lemon juice as needed. If it's too drippy, add more powdered sugar.

How To Decorate The Lemon Knots

The easiest way to ice your baked and cooled cookies is by turning them upside down and dipping the tops into the lemon glaze. Let any excess glaze drip off and place the cookie to the side on a plate or wire rack, before sprinkling the wet iced tops with your choice of sprinkles or fresh lemon zest. The let the icing set before enjoying your cookies!

Storing and Freezing Your Cookies

• Store your finished and cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 7 days.
• If you want to freeze your cookies, freeze the baked and cooled knot cookies plain, without any glaze. The frozen cookies will be best used within 4-5 months. Defrost the cookies overnight in the fridge. Once defrosted you can glaze and decorate your cookies before serving.

More Delicious Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Teff Biscotti
• Grain-Free Italian Wedding Cookies
• Italian Anise Cookies (Anisette)
• Grain-Free Amaretto Cookies
• Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

Print

The sweetest lemony treat from the land of lemons! Southern Italy is known for its limone recipes, just look at this delicious pasta al limone! You are sure to love these gluten-free lemon cookies, from winter to spring, and anytime in between!

So tell me:

+ Have you ever made knot cookies?

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