These Vegan Lemon Cookies are infused with fresh lemon juice, vanilla and super moist thanks to almond flour. They are also oil-free and gluten-free. Soft and puffy and deliciously, fragrant cookies. All you need is just 8 ingredients and 1 bowl and bake in just 10 minutes!
VEGAN LEMON COOKIES
These little puffy vegan lemon cookies are so easy and fast to make….like 10 minutes prep! They are super soft and like clouds, yet have a nice chewy texture thanks to the almond flour. As I’ve mentioned before, my hubby loves lemon. He especially loves this Vegan Lemon Cake! He asked me to make him some lemon vanilla cookies and this is what I came up with. They are little cookies that are cakey and soft, but not dry, they are perfectly moist because of using almond flour to replace the oil. He actually hushed me as I was asking him if he approved….he said I was disturbing his bliss of eating them! Haha. In other words, he loved them.
If you love citrus in general, then be sure to check out these Vegan Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies, too! The recipe base is very similar to these lemon cookies.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN LEMON COOKIES
First, you will need to gather these 8 ingredients (+salt):
- superfine blanched almond flour
- fine oat flour
- tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
- coconut sugar
- baking powder
- maple syrup
- fresh lemon juice and zest
- vanilla extract
To a large bowl, add the oat flour, almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking powder and coconut sugar. Whisk very well to ensure there are no lumps.
Add the syrup, lemon juice and vanilla and stir well for 1-2 minutes until it becomes thick and sticky.
Place the batter in the fridge to chill for about an hour. This is necessary so that the batter fluffs up and creates soft, cloud-like cookies, as you see in the photos.
After the batter has chilled, preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie scooper, drop 12 cookie scoops onto the pan. They should hold their shape as shown above. Do not flatten the cookies.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn a warm golden brown and puffy clouds form. See how gorgeous they spread and poof up on their own?
These Vegan Lemon Cookies may be healthier than the ones made with butter, white sugar and eggs, but they taste every bit as delicious! I served these with homemade lemonade and my daughter was ecstatic!
I’m telling you, these are SO soft and LIGHT like clouds. They are a lemon lovers dream and won’t leave you feeling heavy!
OTHER VEGAN COOKIE RECIPES
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 5 Ingredient Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Grain-free Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Vegan Breakfast Cookies
Easy Vegan Lemon Cookies (Gluten-free, ONLY 8 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (64g) superfine oat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free)
- 1 cup (112g) superfine blanched almond flour (I used Bob's Red Mill labeled "superfine") SEE NOTES at bottom
- 2 tablespoons (16g) tapioca starch
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons (24g) coconut sugar (or white sugar)
- 1/4 cup (80g) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (35g) fresh lemon juice and the zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7g) vanilla extract
NOTE
- Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- I really recommend a cookie scoop for these, so they bake up perfectly round and puffy. Using a regular spoon they won't work quite the same and the batter is too sticky to roll into balls.
- To a large bowl, add the oat flour, almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking powder and coconut sugar. Whisk very well to ensure there are no lumps.
- To the same bowl, add the lemon zest and stir it in. I just zested the lemon right over the bowl.
- Add the syrup, lemon juice and vanilla and stir well for 1-2 minutes until it becomes thick and sticky.
- If your batter is already thick and holding shape with a cookie scoop, no need to chill the dough. But if it's kind of soft and loose, place the batter in the fridge to chill for about an hour. This is necessary so that the batter fluffs up and creates soft, cloud-like cookies, as you see in the photos.
- Due to different brands of almond flour being more fine or not, this can affect how they spread. Also, in addition, I live in a warm, humid climate, which also helps them spread well. If you are in a drier climate or want yours spread out more, slightly flatten the cookies before baking, not too much, just a bit.
- After the batter has chilled, preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie scooper, drop 12 cookie scoops onto the pan. They should hold their shape as in the photos. If you weighed correctly, they should hold. If your cookie scoops are not holding their shape (too runny), either your measurements are off or you didn't use a superfine almond flour, which will cause the batter to be too wet. This will make your cookies bake up flatter. If yours seems too wet, to where it is a bit runny, then add 2 more tablespoons of almond flour if your first cookie scoop is not holding it's shape. I did not flatten them at all and mine spread and puffed up as you see in the photos.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn a warm golden brown. Mine were done at 12 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes and use a thin spatula to carefully transfer to cool completely on a rack. These cookies are best the first day. They are still good by the 2nd day, but they do become almost too soft and crumble some.
Notes
- ALMOND FLOUR: Each brand can greatly vary in how fine the almond flour is, therefore it will result in different shapes of cookies for people. Some may end up with fluffier balls and some will spread like mine did and some may be flatter if you use a non-fine almond flour. They will still taste great, but this is something to keep in mind. Also, climate will affect how fluffy your cookies bake up. If you are in a hot humid climate, they tend to spread more since there is more moisture in the air.
- OAT FLOUR: Use certified gluten-free oat flour if needed. I use Bob's Red Mill.
Nutrition
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I severely underestimated just how light and fluffy these cookies could be. Eating gluten free for nearly a decade, I’ve grown accustomed to denser, heavier baked goods. But these cookies are remarkable.
I’ve made them a few times now and find something new to appreciate each time. From the cloud-like fluffiness, to the zesty lemon freshness, to the wonderful texture, these cookies are straight delicious.
My only trouble has been getting the correct amount of almond flour, and this is a user error on my part. However, I think the brand I’m using (Bob’s Red Mill Super-fine Almond Flour) may be the culprit. I did read in the Vegan 8 book that Brandi has had less than desirable results with Bob’s Red Mill in this department. About 3 extra tablespoons of almond flour has worked for me.
Thank you, Brandi, for this recipe! These cookies are fantastic and truly unique.
What a wonderful review John, thank you so much for making them and I’m so happy you loved them so much!!
Brandi, I love you SOooooooo much! I was craving Lemon Cookies last week, and I saw you had this recipe. Oh, my, gosh! In a week, I’ve made them three times! Yeah, I’m not very embarrassed…LOL. Everyone I share them with wants the recipe, like, RIGHT NOW! THANKYOU, again! Winner, winner, Lemon Cookie dinner!
Awww yay Carol, so thrilled you loved these so much! Haha, don’t be embarrassed, these are pretty darn healthy as far as cookies go!!
I was craving something lemony and sweet and these hit the spot! These are fantastic and really really easy to make too. The only problem I have is that I can’t stop eating them and I don’t want to share, ha!!
Hahaha, I know that problem well Kim! I am so happy you loved these so much, I really appreciate you making them and leaving a wonderful review!
Excellent!!! I brought them to Easter Dinner and they were a huge hit
So wonderful to hear Wendy, thank you so much for the review!
I made these cookies today. They are delicious! I could eat them all on my own in one sitting.
Haha, that is understandable Marleen!
I made these today, I got 22 cookies in my batch. Yes, I carefully WEIGHED every ingredient in grams on my scale and followed the recipe to the letter. When I scooped them into the scoop I flattened the bottom of the dough so it was even with the scoop. I was very surprised to have so many cookies, but now we have plenty for tomorrow too! I’m not sure why I got so many, maybe it’s because I evened off the dough even with the scoop. I measured my scoop & it is 1.5″ just like your recipe stated it should be. These cookies are AWESOME! I have photo’s I will post on IG as “MelKnitsInOly” that show the size of the cookies scooped on the cookie sheet and finished out of the oven. I’m not complaining about getting 10 extra cookies, just wondered why & if I did something different or wrong. I’m going to make them with LIME the next time! I don’t think there’s enough tang in an orange, but I might try making them as ORANGE cookies too! Thank you for these great cookies & ALL of your awesome recipes. We follow Forks Over Knives WOE whole-food plant-based no oil, sugar or salt.
I’m so very happy you loved these!! Yay! I make my cookie scoops a bit overflowing, I don’t pack them in, so that may be why you got so many more, lol! Hey, the more the better, right? Thank you for sharing them on IG and for your lovely review!! And be sure to check out the new recipe, just posted an orange version! The recipe is a bit different since orange juice is naturally sweeter and not sour like lemon. Here is the recipe: https://thevegan8.com/2019/04/19/vegan-orange-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Making these for Easter, can you freeze them? A light dusting of icing sugar will be nice. I don’t have a scale so hoping that they turn out ok. Pearl
Hi Pearl! I wouldn’t recommend freezing these. Recipes that contain potato starch don’t tend to freeze well, it makes them rather dry and crumbly. The good thing is that they only take 20 minutes to make, so you would make them the day you want to serve them, since their texture is perfect and best the first day. You will be fine without a scale, just make sure to scoop up the almond flour with your cup and lightly pat it down and level off and pack the potato starch in the tablespoon well so there are no gaps. You will do great!
Perfect little lemon treat. I used 2 TB ground chia seed for the cornstartch and they came out perfect. Meyer lemon was what I had on hand, so good. Thank you…..
So glad you enjoyed these Cheri!
I made these today and they are great. The most in them was amazing. This will definitely be a repeat snack in my home. Thank you for the recipe.
So happy you loved them Lala!
Is a cookie scoop like an ice cream scoop ?
(Sorry, I’ve never used one)
Hi Bonnie, sorry I’m just seeing this. Yes, they are both round retractable scoops but the cookie scoop is much smaller than an ice cream scoop. You don’t want to use an ice cream scoop. You can find cookie scoops pretty much anywhere, Walmart, Target, grocery stores etc. Get one 1 1/2 inch, I find that to be the perfect cookie size. Like this: https://amzn.to/2Iv3DwM
These cookies are incredible!
For those wondering about substituting the tapioca, I used 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder instead and they came out looking just like the picture and tasting like the most amazing lemon cookie I’ve ever eaten.
Yay, so awesome to hear Amelia!!
These cookies are super easy and quick to make, and will impress anyone while still remaining to be healthy-ish in comparison to a standard cookie recipe. I did have one “problem”, I rested my dough in the fridge overnight which seemed to make the dough too hard and they barely spread at all in the oven. But I think this is because the dough got too cold.
I’m so glad you loved these Alva, thank you so much for making them!! Oh yes, the longer the dough chills, the firmer it gets and will not spread. If you need to store the dough long, just let it come back to close to room temperature again before baking.
First I want to tell you how much I love your recipes. I do have a question: My neighbor and I both made your lemon cookies and they are fabulous however, they didn’t stay crispy when we ate them again the next day. We wrapped them in aluminum foil. How would you suggest they be stored to retain the crispy outside of the cookie? Thanks!
Hi Karen! So glad you both loved them! Yay! Yes, these are soft cookies, they are only slightly crispy fresh out of the oven. This is why I noted on the last step “These cookies are best the first day. They are still good by the 2nd day, but they do become almost too soft and crumble some.” They aren’t meant to be a crispy cookie, and won’t stay crispy long either because there is no butter or oil in them. If you want try to let them not soften as much (although they are meant to be a soft cookie), leave them out on a plate with just a papertowel over them. Wrapping them up in foil or sealing them in any way will just speed up the softening. Hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you Brandi for another amazing recipe! I made these tonight and they are beautiful and delicious!!
Carolyn
Yay Carolyn, really happy to hear that!!
This recipe popped up in my email this morning and I had to try it. ( I also have an over abundance of lemons) they were delicious and a hit with my small group today!! They do spread out quite a bit and I made move a little to big. I have ordered myself a smaller scoop. Thanks again for another great recipe!!
Wonderful Ronna! So glad you and your group loved these! Yes, they spread beautifully so if your scoop is bigger than mine than they will spread into each other, thank you so much for making them!
Hi Brandi.
These look great. Can I sub regular flour for the almond flour or add almond extract with regular flour?
Love your blog!!!!!
Hi Deb! No, unfortunately, that will not work here. The almond flour contains high fat, which is what yields the moisture. The cookies would turn out extremely dry and nothing like the recipe if you subbed regular flour. The almond flour is crucial here.
Hi. I’m sure oat flour isn’t gluten free?!
Hi Gary, I noted to use certified gluten-free oat flour if needed, which is what I used here. Bob’s Red Mill.
We are so making these today!!! Do you think I could sub all purpose flour for the oat flour? Or would I need to change the liquid content? Just trying to avoid going to the store as we’re totally out of oats 😩😩
Hi Janelle! I really can’t say since I haven’t tested it. My concern is it would make them dry since all-purpose flour absorbs more moisture than oat flour. You can always try and see. Just note how the batter should look. Moist and sticky, but hold it’s shape on the pan.
These are just what I’ve been looking for! My husband has finally gotten onto the Whole Plant Based band wagon and I like making him some treats to keep him going. So glad you don’t have oil in the recipe, too.
Wonderful Patty, I hope they are a hit!! I don’t use any oil at all in my cookies, so you can always be confident to know they are oil-free 🙂
Hi Brandi,
These look so luscious. I’m drooling. Problem is I cannot tolerate oats even gluten free oats. Please give suggestions for subbing it. Truth be told I should not be eating almonds either – but I eat a few occasionally and suffer the inflammation that results. It’s just so hard to eliminate all nuts. Thanks for your help.
Hi Denise, hmm, that’s a tough one, because the oats provide the soft and puffy effect. Are you able to find quinoa flakes where you live? I know they sell them at my Kroger here. They resemble oats the most. I would try that or you could try white rice flour, but please know that I cannot vouch for the results with either since I have not tested it. The rice flour will not yield a cloud-like soft cookie like the oats do, they will likely turn out more flat/crispy but could still be very yummy. Just do the same weight amount of 64 grams and try that. Don’t do 1/2 cup of rice flour, but 64 grams will be closer to 6 tablespoons. Then, follow my directions about how the batter should form on the cookie sheet and add a touch more rice flour if needed.
These are my favorite lemon dessert ever and they’re my go-to for spring and summer cookies. Love them!
That thrills me to hear Lisa, thank you so much for leaving feedback!
Boys wanted some cookies while we were camping but I wasn’t feeling anything heavy so I asked Brandi for recommendation. She suggested the lemon vanilla puffs. Boy am I glad I made these. They are super light, fluffy and the only other word I can think of is cloud like tenderness. They have a just sweet taste to offset the lemon and are perfect for the warmer months. Big hit with the guys too. We ate them all last night.
Thank you so much Estee for making them, SO happy they were a hit, you inspire me to get in the kitchen and make them again. It’s been awhile and yours looked so yummy on Facebook!
These are heavenly. When they are fresh from the oven, they are the perfect blend of crunchy and pillowy soft–so good! I’ve made them twice. The first time, we only ate a couple, then stored the rest. The next time I made them, we ate them all right away. They still taste good after they are stored, but fresh from the oven, they are over the top delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. What a treat!
Yay Cathy! So very happy to hear how much you loved these! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback!
Hi Brandi,
These cookies turned out amazing! But as it happens with all my cookies these turned soggy too by next day. I usually let my cookies cool on the rack for an hour or so and then store them in an airtight container. Am I doing something wrong? Is it normal for cookies to become soggy?
Thanks!
Hi KD! So glad you enjoyed them! It can totally depend on the recipe, but since these don’t have oil or butter, they won’t stay crispy the same way as traditional cookies. To keep them from turning soggy, or less soggy, store them loosely covered in foil or in glass instead of plasticware. Plasticware makes things get soggy quicker. Also, you could keep them in the fridge too.
Hi Brandi. My all time favorite dessert is Mexican flan. I’ve been looking for months for a vegan recipe and haven’t been able to find one. Can you help me out?
-Renee
Hi Renee! I don’t have a recipe for that but I found this one online….maybe this would work?
http://www.veganricha.com/2016/05/lemon-flan-vegan-flan-recipe.html
Here’s another one:
http://www.veganricha.com/2011/11/flan-caramel-custardpudding-vegan.html