Fruity, buttery and bursting with flavor these easy raspberry cookies are irresistible! They are quick to make with a soft and chewy texture and the perfect blend of sweet berries and tangy lemon.
These easy raspberry cookies are the perfect summery treat! They are a raspberry lemon combination that is tart yet sweet with a slightly nutty taste from almond flour. They are so good!
They are chewy and soft like a sugar cookie and will be a hit with anyone that tries them. During cooler months, I love to bake these Abbracci Italian cookies, they are like warm hugs! Come summer, though, this raspberry lemon dessert is on repeat.
While I love to use fresh raspberries from my own raspberry bushes for this Italian mascarpone cake with raspberry glaze, frozen berries work just as well if not better in these cookies and unlike raspberry thumbprint cookies you don’t need any jam!
You will love these berry treats!
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Cookie Recipe
- Fresh flavor: These lemon raspberry cookies taste like summer with their fresh berry taste and fresh lemon zing!
- Buttery and sweet: Exactly like a cookie should be!
- Easy to make: These raspberry cookies are ready in just over 30 minutes and no chilling of the dough is required.
- Everyone loves these cookies: They are soft and chewy like a sugar cookie but with a burst of fruity raspberries and a delicious lemon taste like a lemon thumbprint cookie.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: This gives your raspberry cookies structure. Use a flour with at least 11% protein.
- Almond flour: This adds to the chewy texture of the cookies. Make your own almond flour by grinding whole almonds to a powdery texture.
- Baking powder: Gives lift and rise to the cookies.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Butter: Unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature is best. If using salted butter, skip adding any additional salt.
- Granulated sugar: Gives the cookies their crisp edges.
- Lemon zest: You will need to zest 1 lemon which is equivalent to 1 tablespoon when measured.
- Egg yolks: 2 large egg yolks separated from the whites makes these cookies moist!
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
- Raspberries: You can use fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries.
- Powdered sugar: This is optional but is delicious to sprinkle on the cookies after they are baked.
Variations
- White chocolate chips: White chocolate pairs perfectly with raspberries just like in my raspberry bundt cake! Add up to 1 cup of white chocolate chips.
- Dark chocolate chips: Chocolate and raspberry are so good together just like in these raspberry chocolates.
- Extract: Substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract.
- Size of cookies: Use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop to make large raspberry cookies and ¼ cup to make jumbo cookies. Baking time may increase and the number cookies.
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How to Make Easy Raspberry Cookies
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients containing both flours, baking powder and salt.
Next, cream together your butter, sugar and lemon zest until creamy. Add your egg yolks and then the vanilla extract. Combine wet and dry ingredients on low speed.
Turn off the mixer and gently fold in your raspberries.
Use a medium to large cookie scoop and drop the cookie balls onto your prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place cookies about two inches apart to allow for spreading and then flatten slightly with a fork dipped in flour.
Bake your raspberry cookies until lightly golden. Let cool on the baking pan, then move to a clean plate. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Baking Tips
- Drop cookies: This cookie dough is a scoop and bake dough. That means no chilling is required and there is no rolling your cookie dough into balls.
- Adding the raspberries: To prevent your batter from turning blue, the timing of when you add the raspberries is very important. Only add them once your baking sheets are prepped and the oven has been preheated.
- Refrigerate dough: While one pan of cookies bake, chill the raspberry cookie dough in the refrigerator as this prevents the raspberries from thawing completely.
- Gently fold in the berries: For the best pretty swirls of color don’t stir too hard when you add the raspberries. Just a few gentle stirs and the batter is ready to bake.
- Almond flour: Make your own almond flour by grinding almonds until they are powdery.
Why are my raspberry cookies a blue color?
Sometimes that can happen when the raspberry juice reacts with baking powder it can turn the cookie dough blue and then the cookies may look a little gray after they are baked. You can avoid this by using frozen raspberries that may not have as much juice. Although I didn’t have this problem and I used fresh raspberries.
Should I use fresh or frozen raspberries?
While either fresh or frozen raspberries work in these raspberry cookies, if you choose to use fresh raspberries you will want to use firm raspberries that are not yet releasing juices. You can also try to toss them your berries with a bit of flour before adding them to the batter. If you use frozen raspberries, they need to be frozen completely.
What makes cookies moist and chewy?
These Italian raspberry cookies use only egg yolks which keeps them moist and chewy! Another way to keep cookies tender is to add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the flour mixture as that helps prevent gluten development.
Why did my cookies get hard after they cooled down?
If you have overcooked your cookies they may get hard after cooling down. To prevent this, remove your raspberry cookies from the oven when the center of the cookie looks set and edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
Can I double or triple this cookie recipe?
You could do this only if you store the batter in the fridge without the raspberries while the first batch of cookies bake! Otherwise the raspberries will start to turn the batter blue.
How to Store the raspberry cookies
Store at room temperature up to 3 days in an airtight container so they stay soft and chewy. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Either microwave a frozen raspberry cookie for 15-20 cookies or thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
Love raspberries then you are going to love these Easy Raspberry Cookies. Enjoy!
More Cookie Recipes to Try
Easy Raspberry Cookies
Equipment
- beaters or stand mixer
- 1-2 baking sheet
- cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups + 1¾ tablespoons all purpose flour (at least 11% protein) (180 grams total)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup butter (softened)
- ½ cup +3 tablespoons granulated sugar (140 grams total)
- 1 medium lemon zest (1 tablespoon)
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1¼ cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
EXTRAS
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- On medium speed beat the butter, sugar and zest until creamy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the yolks and the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture and combine on low speed. Add the raspberries and combine.
- Using a medium to large cookie scoop or a tablespoon place balls on the prepared baking sheet. About two inches apart. Flatten slightly with a fork dipped in flour. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool on the baking pan, then move to a clean plate. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
MaryMargaret Wood says
Can I make them vegan? Could I substitute a vegan butter and an egg substitute, or would that adversely affect the outcome of the cookies? Also, do the raspberries retain their red coloring after they are baked?
Rosemary says
Hi MaryMargaret, I have never made vegan recipes so I honestly cannot say if it will work or not. My cookies did retain the red colour. Let me know if you try it. Take care!