These Vegan Lemon Cake Cookies are part cookie dough, part cake bites, so if you like both of those things, you’ll LOVE these cookies! Made with a base of almond flour, they are lightly sweetened with maple syrup, and kept super moist thanks to coconut cream.
Since lemon poppyseed is one of my favorite flavor combos, I added a touch of almond extract and poppy seeds to the dough for added texture and depth of flavor. If you don’t have, you can leave out to keep plain, and if you’re looking for other Spring recipe ideas, these Lemon Coconut Macaroons would be another great option!
Ingredients in Vegan Lemon Cookies
Almond flour – To keep these cookies gluten free, grain free, and paleo I use blanched almond flour. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill, but I’ve also used and loved both the Trader’s Joe’s and Costco in-house brands.
Coconut flour – This help with the consistency of the cookies and thickens the batter.
Coconut cream – My favorite brand is the Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream! It comes in a large 13.5oz can instead of the tiny cans I’ve seen of coconut cream at other grocery stores. Alternatively you can use a can of full fat coconut milk, and just scoop out the thick cream, leaving behind the liquid. I find it’s easier to separate the coconut cream from the liquid if you refrigerate the can so it separates.
Maple syrup – These cookies are naturally sweetened with just 1/2 cup of maple syrup.
Lemon juice & zest – To get the delicious lemon flavor you use both the juice and zest from a fresh lemon.
Vanilla extract – You want to make sure you use a high-quality extract. Since these aren’t baked for very long, the flavor comes through in the final delicious bites.
Almond extract – I love the subtle almond flavor this adds to these Lemon Cake Bites.
Poppy seeds – these add the perfect texture to these cake bites.
How to make these Gluten Free Lemon Cookie Bites
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- To a food processor, add all ingredients except for the poppy seeds and process for ~1 minute until evenly combined. Texture will be a cookie dough-like consistency.
- Pulse in poppy seeds until just combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop 12-13 cookies using a #20 cookie scoop (3 tbsp) on to the parchment-lined baking tray. Do not press flat.
- Move to the oven and bake for ~12-13 minutes or until the tops of the cookies have started to lightly brown. Remove and let cool completely.
- While cookies are cooling prepare the lemon glaze. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once cookies have cooled, top with lemon glaze and enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature or the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
Lemon Glaze
While these cookies are just as delicious plain. I love the addition of this super easy lemon glaze. I used powdered sugar for this glaze, but you can also use melted coconut butter if you want to keep it refined sugar-free.
For the glaze, you add both lemon juice and lemon zest. To thin, you can add an additional 1-2 tsp of water until you reach your desired consistency.
Why I love these Lemon Cake Cookies
- Part cake, part cookie dough, these cookies have an incredible texture!
- Perfect for everyone – these cookies are vegan, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and egg free!
- Lemon poppyseed – the best Spring cookie flavor, IMO.
- Easy-to-make – you blend everything in a food processor then use a cookie scoop before baking in the oven.
How to store Lemon Cookies
These cookies can be stored at either room temperature or in the fridge. In the fridge they end up with a more cookie-dough consistency. Either way, you want to store them in an airtight container and they should last for up to a week.
If you’re looking for other easy cookie recipes, some of my favorites include these Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, or these Paleo Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
As always, if you give these Vegan Lemon Cake Cookies a try I would love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below or tag me over on instagram so I can see your creations. Happy baking!
Ingredients
Lemon Poppyseed Cake Cookie Bites
- 2 cups fine, blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ cup coconut cream solidified part from refrigerated can of full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 tsp poppy seeds
Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar or sub coconut butter to keep refined-sugar free!
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½-1 tsp water to thin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- To a food processor, add all ingredients except for the poppy seeds and process for ~1 minute until evenly combined. Texture will be a cookie-dough like consistency.
- Pulse in poppy seeds until just combined.
- Using a cookie scoop (I used large # 20, 3 tbsp) scoop 13 cookies on to the parchment-lined baking tray. Do not press flat.
- Move to the oven and bake for ~12-13 minutes or until the tops of the cookies have started to lightly brown. Remove and let cool completely.
- While cookies are cooling prepare the lemon glaze. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once cookies have cooled, top with lemon glaze and enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature or the fridge for up to five days.
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I’m a sucker for soft cookies & these are so perfectly summer-y! I made them bite-sized, didn’t have poppy seeds and they still turned out fantastic! Totally going on my spring baking list next year!
Yayyyyy so glad you loved these! 🙂