1-First Step: Make the raspberry curd Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with a little simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Add the raspberries, lemon juice, sugar, egg, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla. Whisk gently as the mixture warms, then keep stirring until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This usually takes about 8 to 12 minutes. Once thickened, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the cubed butter until smooth. If you want a silky curd, strain it through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill until fully cold. The curd should be thick enough to spoon, not runny.

2-Second Step: Prepare the cookie dough Preheat your oven to 175 C or 350 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers. This releases the oils in the zest and makes the dough smell amazing right away. Next, stir in the melted and cooled butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and glossy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until combined. The dough will be soft, which is exactly what you want.

3-Third Step: Chill the dough Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This part matters because the dough firms up and becomes much easier to roll. If you skip the chill time, the cookies can spread too much in the oven. While the dough chills, check your raspberry curd. If it is very soft, give it a little more time in the fridge. You want both the dough and the filling ready at the same time so shaping goes quickly.

4-Fourth Step: Shape and roll Scoop the dough into even portions, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Roll each piece into a ball between your palms, then roll the ball in the powdered sugar until coated all over. The sugar coating helps create those pretty crackled tops. Place the dough balls on the prepared tray with enough space between them for spreading. If the dough feels sticky, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking. That little pause can make shaping much easier.

5-Fifth Step: Bake the cookies Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges look set and the tops are puffed with gentle cracks. The centers should still look a little soft when they come out of the oven. They will finish setting as they cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking tray for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This short cooling time helps them stay intact. If you move them too soon, they may break while still tender.

6-Final Step: Add the raspberry curd and serve Once the cookies are fully cool, spoon or pipe a small amount of raspberry curd onto the center of each one. You can also sandwich two cookies together with curd if you want a bigger treat. Either way, the mix of soft lemon cookie and bright raspberry filling is lovely. For a simple serving idea, plate the cookies with fresh berries, tea, or coffee. They also pair nicely with breakfast recipes like this comforting porridge recipe if you want a sweet brunch spread.