Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies

ByShawna May 3, 2024May 3, 2024

These Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies are the perfect sweet treat this spring or summer! Bursting with lemony flavor and tasting like summer, yet super soft and fluffy. These are going to be the cookies your kids will make every summer when they grow up!

Vegan Lemon cookie with a bite taken out of it on a plate surrounded by lemon slices.

Ingredients to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Plant-Based Butter: Most cookies that are rich, indulgent, and delicious require some type of butter, just be sure to choose a vegan friendly one for vegan friendly cookies.

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Sugar: We’re going for a basic, classic, lemon cookie (without the animal products) here, so sugar is used to sweeten it, I have not tested it with other sweeteners yet.

Vanilla: Vanilla adds depth and simply makes everything taste better.

Lemon Extract, Juice, & Zest: All of the lemon ingredients are what gives these cookies their flavor. If you’re not fond of the texture of zest, feel free to omit it. Using the extract and the juice allows for a stronger flavor with adding just the right amount of liquid.

Flour: This recipe has only been tested with all purpose flour.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is what causes these cookies to rise, don’t omit or sub out for anything else.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a magic ingredient in vegan baked goods to help things stay soft and fluffy.

Powdered Sugar: This one is optional, but it’s the white sugar on the outside of the cookie, that makes it looks like a regular crinkle cookie.

How to Make Vegan Lemon Cookies

*Note that these instructions can be printed below

Step one: Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Step two: Cream together the softened butter and sugar, then stir in the extracts, lemon juice, and zest.

Step three: Add the flour, baking powder, and cornstarch and mix until the cookie dough forms.

4 image collage for the process of making lemon cookie dough.

Step four: Use a cookie scoop (2 tablespoons), roll in the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Then place onto your cookie sheet.

Step five: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are slightly golden.

Step six: Allow to cool slightly and sift more powdered sugar on top of the cookies before enjoying!

Vegan lemon cookies before and after baked.

How to Serve these cookies

Serve with non-dairy milk or lemonade!

How to Store Lemon Cookies

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.

FAQs

Can I use just lemon juice in this recipe if I don’t have lemon extract?
1. If you do not have lemon extract, then yes, it is fine to make these cookies without that extract. However, the lemon extract does have add a little punch, and slight tart-ness, to the flavor of the cookies.
Does the dough need to chill before baking in the oven?
1. No, no need to chill the dough before baking these cookies!
Should these cookies be soft or crispy?
1. These lemon cookies will be nice and soft after baking!
Do I need to add more powdered sugar after the cookies are baked?
1. Adding extra powdered sugar to the cookies after baking is up to you! There is still some powdered sugar showing on them after baking, when you roll them in powdered sugar first, but they do ‘crack’ while baking, and where the ‘cracks’ are, there won’t be any powdered sugar.
Do these cookies spread a lot while baking?
1. No, they do spread slightly and slightly flatten, however they should still be light, soft, fluffy, and still slightly round after baked.

Vegan lemon crinkle cookies on a cooling rack.

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Shawna

Recipe developer and food photographer mom of 3 kids. I love creating new healthy recipes that aren't only delicious, but also nutritious!