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These vegan lemon cookies have a chewy center, crispy edges, and are packed with a bright lemon flavor from both the zest and the juice. No eggs, no dairy, and no lemon extract needed. You’ll just need 8 simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of active time!
Everyone needs a good chocolate chip cookie recipe. But in the summer, when it’s warm, and you want something a bit brighter and fresher, that’s where these come in.
I developed these specifically as our warm-weather cookie. Same chewy center, same crisp edges, but built around lemon instead of chocolate. They taste like summer in the best way possible and pair perfectly with fruit juice or iced tea!
Note that these cookies are not glazed. I thought they were already sweet enough on their own and didn’t want to add an extra step.
⭐️ Why This Recipe Just Works
- Chewy centers. Crispy edges. The chewiness of these cookies results from the right balance of fat, sugar, and flour, as well as pulling the cookies out of the oven while the center is still soft.
- Bold lemon flavor from fresh zest and juice, with just a hint of tang. No lemon extract here!
- One bowl, simple ingredients. This cookie recipe relies on simple pantry staples.
🍋 Key Ingredients
Here is what you will need. You can find the exact ingredient measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
- Lemon – Because you will zest the lemon, I strongly recommend using organic ones. Also, ensure you use lemons that are as fresh as possible – this means their skin should be firm and bright yellow. Note: This cookie recipe also works with limes!
- Flour – All-purpose flour creates the structure of the cookies.
- Butter – I used Flora’s Plant Butter in this recipe, but any other brand will work as long as it contains 75-79g fat per 100g, which is similar to dairy butter.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar keeps the color of the cookies bright and allows the lemon flavor to shine.
- Vanilla extract – It enhances the cookies’ flavor without overpowering the zesty lemon aroma.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Both help the cookies rise slightly. Don’t worry, these cookies are not cakey!
- Salt – Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
🥣 How They’re Done
- Combine the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Add them all to a bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Cream. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds or until the butter is light and fluffy.
How to Zest the Lemons
To zest the lemons, I like to use this lemon zester. It makes long strips of zest that I then slice as thinly as possible on a chopping board. Another option is to use a vegetable peeler and then chop the zest as thinly as possible.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Then, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix. Mix again on low speed for another 15-30 seconds or until well combined. Do not overmix. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Scoop and roll. Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll each portion into a smooth ball with your hands.
- Arrange on a baking sheet. Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake. Finally, bake the cookies for 9 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
📔 Pro Tips
Don’t skip the chill. There is no way around this – you’ll have to chill the dough for a minimum of 2 hours in the fridge. Warm dough spreads too quickly in the oven, resulting in flat, crispy cookies.
Slightly underbake the cookies. Pull the cookies out of the oven when the edges are set, but the centers look undercooked. This usually happens after 9 minutes in the oven, though you may need to adjust the baking time slightly depending on your oven. The residual heat from the baking sheet will finish cooking the cookies after they are out of the oven.
Measure the flour correctly. Use the spoon-and-level method to measure the flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup without packing it. Then, use a knife to remove the excess flour from the cup.
❄️ Storing
- To store: You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap or freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
💬 FAQs & Troubleshooting
Yes. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix for the all-purpose flour. The texture of the cookies will be slightly crumblier.
No, this step is essential. Warm dough spreads faster, resulting in very flat cookies.
Yes. Roll the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet. Bake from frozen, adding an extra 2-3 minutes of baking time.
Either the dough was not chilled long enough, or the ingredients were not measured correctly. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours.
You probably over-measured the flour. Spoon and level your flour or weigh the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
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Chewy Vegan Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (130 g) granulated white sugar
- 2/3 cup (150 g) vegan butter (Take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cream the butter. Add the white sugar, vegan butter, and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until light and creamy.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Then, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix again on low speed for another 15-30 seconds or until it forms a dough. Do not overmix.
- Chill the dough. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours.
- Preheat your oven to
350 °F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. - Scoop and roll the dough. Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to portion the dough. Then, roll each portion into a smooth ball with your hands. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the cookies for 9 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
Yum! Not a huge fan of lemon flavored stuff, but the fact that you mentioned it would work well with limes is awesome since I do like limes! 🙂