These Vegan Lemon Cookies are the easiest and best treat for Spring! Full of bright lemon flavor and a deliciously soft texture, you won't want to miss out!
*Originally published April 9, 2022 and updated with new copy and photos 2/15/23.
Spring is here and Easter is just a few days away! I have mixed feelings about Spring. On one hand, the allergies are HORRIBLE on the other, we have SO much fresh produce and all the lemon flavors! These Vegan Lemon Cookies are the perfect Spring treat.
They are soft and bursting with bright and fresh flavors. It really doesn't get much better. The soft and fluffy cookies are covered in a delicious lemon glaze that is so bright and fresh, that you won't want to miss out!
For some other great Spring desserts, check out these Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies, this Vegan and Gluten-Free Pound Cake this Banana Pudding Lasagna, these Vegan Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust or this Blackberry Lemon Bread!
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What Makes These Vegan Lemon Cookies So Great
- Soft and Fluffy- These cookies are so soft and fluffy that you won't be able to eat just one! They are easy, delicious and addicting!
- Bold Lemon Flavor- There is so much lemon flavor in this recipe that it really packs a punch! Such a fun Spring recipe!
- Quick Recipe- Who doesn't love quick cookie recipes? These cookies don't require any chilling time and will be in your hands in 20 minutes!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Meyer Lemons- Would it even be lemon cookies without the lemons?? I used Meyer lemons in this recipe because I love the sweeter taste of the Meyer lemon. They don't have as much of the tang as regular lemons do but they are so delicious! Feel free to use regular lemons in a pinch!
- Flour- I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. Feel free to swap it with your favorite gluten-free flour or whole wheat flour. All-purpose flour keeps these cookies a light color, if you use whole-wheat flour, the cookies will be darker.
- Powdered Sugar-I used powdered sugar in this recipe. Powdered sugar contains cornstarch which helps make these cookies light and fluffy.
- Coconut Oil- Instead of butter, this recipe uses coconut oil. Feel free to replace with ½ cup of vegan butter if you need to.
A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil and the powdered sugar. Mix well to combine.
Step 2: Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
Step 3: Slowly add the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
Step 4: Scoop 1.5 Tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, as pictured above. Place 8 balls onto each baking sheet. Bake each batch for 10 minutes.
Step 5: While the cookies are baking, using a small bowl, combine the remaining powdered sugar and lemon juice. Set aside for later
Step 6: After the cookies have cooled completely, drizzle the glaze on top and sprinkle with lemon zest.
If you like these, you are going to love these Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar!
Variations
- Sugar Cookies - Instead of glazing, roll these cookies in some sugar before baking to make vegan sugar cookies!
- Lemon Poppyseed - Add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the dry ingredients to give this a fun twist!
- Almond Cookies - Add ⅛ teaspoon of Almond extract to the cookie dough to give it a delicious, nutty almond flavor.
Check out these Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for another fun cookie variation!
Storage
Note that these soft lemon cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Top tips
- To make sure that your baking soda is still good, add the lemon juice directly on top of it. It will bubble and foam, which means the baking soda has been activated and this is good — if your baking soda doesn’t bubble, it’s old and expired.
- Always zest the lemon first before juicing it. It is much easier and less messy.
- To get the most lemon juice out of your lemon, roll it on the counter firmly with your hand, then cut it in half, and squeeze out the juice.
- Make sure your cookies are cooled completely before glazing. If you don't, the glaze will dissolve and roll off the cookie.
Recipe FAQ's
Kind of! These Vegan Lemon Cookies are soft and chewy but have an amazing buttery and delicious flavor.
It depends on how you categorize u0022healthyu0022 these are definitely more indulgent but are still plant-based. To make these healthier, make them refined sugar-free and use gluten-free flour.
Yup! The glaze is basically the same thing as icing. Icing is a little bit thicker than glaze so just layer it on a little thicker and you are golden!
Other Dessert Recipes You Will Love
- Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The BEST Blackberry Lemon Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread without Baking Soda
- Dairy-Free Apple Pie with Salted Caramel
- Vegan Chai Scones with Maple Glaze
- Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
- Red, White and Blue Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles
- Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust
Vegan Lemon Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
Lemon Glaze
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil and the powdered sugar. Mix well to combine.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
- Scoop 1.5 Tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, as pictured above. Place 8 balls onto each baking sheet. Bake each batch for 10 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, using a small bowl, combine 2 cups powdered sugar and ¼ cup lemon juice. Set aside for later
- After the cookies have cooled completely, drizzle the glaze on top and sprinkle with lemon zest.
Notes
- To make sure that your baking soda is still good, add the lemon juice directly on top of it. It will bubble and foam, which means the baking soda has been activated and this is good — if your baking soda doesn’t bubble, it’s old and expired.
- Always zest the lemon first before juicing it. It is much easier and less messy.
- To get the most lemon juice out of your lemon, roll it on the counter firmly with your hand, then cut it in half, and squeeze out the juice.
- Make sure your cookies are cooled completely before glazing. If you don't, the glaze will dissolve and roll off the cookie.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Audrey says
These were so delish! I LOVED the lemon
Freya says
Yum, lemon cookies are my favourite and these are so full of flavour!
Angela says
Love the lemon glaze. Delicious cookies!
Emily Flint says
I love lemon in any form and these cookies were amazing!
Agnieszka says
Delicious cookies! Making them again for sure!
Jen says
My kids couldn't stop eating these cookies! So good!
Leslie says
Love this Lemon Cookie recipe! It's a keeper!
Ash B says
This recipe is so yummy! I love the lemon glaze the most.