Description
These Vegan Lemon Cookies offer a delightful citrus flavor with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Made without any animal products, these cookies combine the zesty freshness of lemon zest and juice with a crisp sugar coating, perfect for a refreshing treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 200 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 30 g powdered sugar (use organic if in the US)
- 200 g granulated sugar (use organic if in the US)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (freshly grated)
- 130 g vegan butter (melted)
- 40 g Greek-style yogurt or skyr (or regular unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line 2 baking trays or cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Add the powdered sugar to a separate small bowl and set aside.
- Flavor the sugar: Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant and well combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk the melted vegan butter into the lemon sugar mixture, followed by the yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold in using a spatula until just combined to form a soft dough.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with the cookie dough and place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to firm up, making it easier to shape.
- Shape and roll: Scoop out 12 portions of approximately 50g each. Roll each portion into a ball, then roll each ball in the powdered sugar to coat. Place them on the prepared baking trays, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and use a large cookie cutter to gently round off the edges of each cookie to achieve a neat shape. This step is important to avoid overly large, flat cookies. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for about 5 minutes.
- Storage: Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep fresh for up to 5-6 days.
Notes
- Using freshly grated lemon zest and juice significantly enhances the lemon flavor.
- For a dairy-free yogurt option, unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt works well to keep the recipe vegan.
- Chilling the dough is key to controlling spread and maintaining shape during baking.
- The step of rounding the cookies after baking is essential for a professional, uniform look.
- Store cookies in a sealed airtight container to maintain freshness for up to nearly a week.
- Adjust baking time slightly if using convection ovens or different oven models to avoid overbaking.
