Soft and chewy, Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies, made with 9 ingredients and no special equipment. Vegan, whole grain and oil free.
With the weather warming up, we're craving bright citrusy flavors. And because it's always a good time for cookies, we made these Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies. Slightly crisp edges, soft and chewy centers with a light lemony flavor, these cookies are the perfect spring treat.
These cookies couldn't be any simpler to make. Because there's no butter or oil, you don't need any special equipment. Just a bowl and wooden spoon, that's it. Wait, no butter or oil in a cookie recipe, how can that be you ask? Yogurt, is my secret. Sounds strange, I know, but it really works. I figured this little trick out back during the holidays with these cookies. The family loves the texture of those cookies so much that new flavors were pretty much a requirement. The kids love this new flavor just as much as the original, even the one who doesn't like lemon. Yay!
There are just a few tips for making these cookies:
- Let the sugar dissolve in the yogurt and other wet ingredients for a minute before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Add the flour a little at a time, stirring to incorporate after each addition.
- Let the dough chill for a few hours before baking. The other recipe doesn't do this, but after trying it I found it easier to shape the cookies and the end result is better.
- Don't skip the flattening step. This will result in under baked middles and crunchy exteriors.
- Space! These cookies spread so be sure to leave a couple of inches free on all sides.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below or snap a pic and tag it @weelittlevegans on Instagram so I’ll be sure to see it!
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup non dairy yogurt, plain unsweetened I use Kite Hill or So Delicious.
- ¾ cup cane sugar Florida's Crystals is vegan.
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest ~ 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds + more for topping
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour, white whole wheat or all purpose
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together yogurt, sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla and poppy seeds. Let sit for 1 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.
- Add salt, baking soda and a third of the flour, stirring to combine. Add another third of the flour and stir again to incorporate. Add the final third of the flour and stir to incorporate. A soft dough will form.
- Cover dough and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling allows the dough to firm up.
- After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Continue rolling dough into balls and place several inches apart on baking sheet.
- Gently flatten balls using the palm of your hand to form a cookie shape. Sprinkle with additional poppyseeds, if desired.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes until edges are set and the bottoms are lightly golden. Allow to cool on pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
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Did you make this recipe? Let me know!