PREPARE THE LEMON CURD

1. If using homemade lemon curd, prepare it in advance so it has time to chill and fully set before assembling the cookies.

PREPARE THE COOKIE DOUGH

1. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl and massage the zest into the sugar until fragrant.
2. Add the butter and cream together until light and fluffy (~2–3 minutes).
3. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free 1:1 flour, almond flour, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low until a cohesive dough forms. It will seem dry and crumbly at first but keep mixing and it will eventually start to stick together.

CHILL THE COOKIE DOUGH

1. Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a flattened disc.
2. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 1⁄2–2 hours.

ROLL OUT AND BAKE THE COOKIES

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1⁄4-inch thickness. Lightly flour the top and underneath the dough as needed, rotating it occasionally to prevent sticking. If the dough has chilled for longer than 2 hours, allow it to set at room temperature until it softens enough to roll out without cracking.
3. Use a 21⁄4-inch flower cookie cutter (or any desired shape) to cut out the cookies. Re-roll the dough scraps 1–2 times as needed.
4. Transfer the cut-outs to the prepared baking sheet. Use a small round cutter or the base of a piping tip (about 3⁄4-inch or slightly smaller) to cut out the centers of half of the cookies.
5. Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven for 9–12 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops are matte.
6. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Repeat with remaining dough (the recipe yields 24 sandwich cookies/48 halves).

ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES

1. Dust powdered sugar on the cookies with the centers cut out (these will be the top cookies).
2. Turn the solid cookies upside down so the flat sides are facing up. Pipe or spoon about 1– 11⁄2 teaspoons of lemon curd into the center of each cookie, leaving a slight border around the edges.
3. Gently sandwich the cookies together and press lightly until the filling spreads to the edges of the window.

Store assembled cookies in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Enjoy!