Description
These Iced Vegan Lemon Soft Sugar Cookies are a bright and zesty treat perfect for any occasion. Soft, tender cookie bases are flavored with fresh lemon zest and enhanced with a vegan Greek-style yogurt for extra moistness. They’re decorated with a delightful vegan lemon curd and royal icing, bringing both elegance and a burst of citrus flavor. Perfect for vegans and lemon lovers alike, these cookies combine a melt-in-your-mouth texture with beautiful, detailed decoration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 150 g vegan butter (softened)
- 4 teaspoons vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Royal Icing
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons aquafaba
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lemon Curd Icing
- 145 g vegan lemon curd (prep ahead option)
- 60 g powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons aquafaba
Instructions
- Flavor the sugar: Add the lemon zest and sugar to a large mixing bowl and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until it feels wet, releasing the lemon’s aromatic oils.
- Cream the sugar and butter: Add the softened vegan butter to the lemon-sugar mixture. Whisk using a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and airy. Then add the vegan Greek-style yogurt and vanilla extract, whisking again thoroughly to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and sea salt into the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently bring everything together into a cohesive dough ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc shape.
- Chill the dough: Place the wrapped dough in the freezer for 1.5 to 2 hours or refrigerate overnight for easier handling and improved texture. While chilling, prepare the vegan lemon curd if making from scratch.
- Prep for baking: Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced or 180°C (356°F) conventional. Line one large or two medium baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the cookies: Lightly flour your countertop and roll the chilled dough to about ½ cm thickness. Use a 2.5-inch cookie cutter to cut out cookies, placing them on the prepared trays. Re-roll any scraps and continue cutting out cookies until all dough is used.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 11 minutes until just beginning to brown lightly at the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer on the parchment paper to a cooling rack. Allow cooling another 15-20 minutes to reach room temperature before decorating.
- Prepare royal icing (cookie outline): Whisk together powdered sugar, aquafaba, and lemon juice until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag for outlining the cookies.
- Prepare lemon curd icing (flood icing): Whisk 60 g of vegan lemon curd with powdered sugar and aquafaba until smooth, then transfer to a piping bag. Place the remaining 85 g lemon curd into a separate piping bag for detailed decoration.
- Decorate cookies: Use the royal icing to pipe thin circles and lemon segment lines on each cookie. Let dry for 10 minutes, then pipe over the lines again to thicken. Dry an additional 10 minutes. Next, flood the lemon segment areas with the lemon curd icing, using a toothpick to spread evenly. Let dry 10-15 minutes slightly, then use the remaining lemon curd to pipe small dots inside each segment and outline the lemon skin edge.
- Storage: Allow iced cookies to dry completely on a cooling rack for a few hours. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, best consumed within 4-5 days for optimal freshness.
Notes
- Lemon zest should be freshly grated from unwaxed lemons for the best flavor.
- Softened vegan butter ensures easy mixing and fluffy dough.
- Vegan Greek-style yogurt adds moisture and a slight tang to the dough, enhancing texture.
- Make vegan lemon curd ahead of time or use store-bought for convenience.
- If freezing dough, thaw in the refrigerator before rolling out.
- Allow icing to fully dry for neatest decoration and longer shelf life.
- Adjust sweetness of the royal icing and lemon curd icing to taste.
