Vegan Lemon Shortbread Cookies

These vegan lemon shortbread cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth classic treat with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. They are tasty and addictive!

These vegan lemon shortbread cookies will become a staple recipe in your repertoire, as they are quick and easy to make but still elegant.

The shortbread dough has only a handful of ingredients, requires no special equipment, and is topped with a simple lemon glaze once baked.

This is a recipe to pull out when pressed for time and makes delicious cookies for brunch or the holidays.

Be sure to also try my Vegan Chocolate Shortbread Cookies , Vegan Butter Cookies and Vegan Whipped Shortbread Cookies!

Key Ingredient Notes

• Unbleached All-purpose flour – gives the cookies more structure.
• Granulated Cane Sugar – use fine granulated sugar for more tender cookies.
• Cornstarch – adds lightness to the cookies. It can be substituted with white rice flour or tapioca starch. 
• Vegan Butter – Use a stick margarine and not the soft, spreadable kind in a tub, as this can affect the consistency of the dough. I used Country Crock Plant Butter sticks.
• Fresh lemon juice – fresh juice keeps this recipe bright and tart!
• Lemon zest – adding zest along with the juice will give them a deepened lemon flavor.
• Confectioners’ Sugar – sift the sugar beforehand for a smooth glaze.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Adjust the oven racks to the middle of the oven, and preheat to 325°F / 160°C.

2. Sift the flour, granulated sugar, and cornstarch (or rice flour) in a large bowl.

3. Add the vegan butter and rub it into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

4. Mix in the lemon zest with a fork, then stir in the lemon juice. Using your hands, gently knead the dough to form a firm ball.
5. If the dough is too crumbly and won’t stay together, add up to 2 teaspoons more lemon juice. The resulting dough ball should not be wet or sticky. Flatten into a disk with your hands.

6. Lightly flour a clean work surface, or use two sheets of parchment paper to roll out the dough to about ¼ inch (5mm) thickness. If you are using a floured work surface, be sure to dust the dough and rolling pin with flour lightly.

7. Dip a 2¾-inch (7cm) round cookie cutter into flour. Mark then cut out 12 circles into the shortbread dough. If needed, the dough can be gathered up into a ball and rolled out again.

8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, and arrange the vegan shortbread cookies onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they are pale in color.

Make the glaze:

1. Mix the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. If the consistency is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir in the lemon zest.

2. Brush the cookies with the glaze as soon as they are removed from the oven, then allow them to cool completely on the tray. The glaze will become transparent.

Notes & Substitutions

• Don’t use a gluten-free flour substitute (such as a cup-for-cup type flour mix) to replace the cornstarch, as those usually have xanthan gum. Combined with all-purpose flour, this would cause the dough to be too tough.
• Try other flavors in place of lemon! Orange juice and zest can be substituted in exact amounts. Other flavors to try are almond extract, matcha, and hazelnut – don’t be afraid to experiment.
• The cookies can be cut into any desired shape! Use any cookie cutters you desire, and be sure to adjust the cooking time if your cookie cutter has a more slender design.
• Try my Vegan Lemon Frosting for a thicker icing option. Apply it to the cookies after they are fully cooled.

Key Tips for Success

• Shortbread dough needs to stay tender, so don’t re-roll or overwork the dough. Working the dough too much will result in a tough cookie, so it is recommended not to re-roll more than once. 
• If you wish to use a food processor, it can help quickly cut in the vegan butter and to minimize overworking the dough.

Storage Suggestion

Shortbread cookies can be stored for several days at room temperature in an airtight container. These cookies also freeze very well. Press all the air possible out of a freezer bag, and they will keep for up to a month in the freezer. 

FAQs

Why are they called “Shortbread Cookies”?

The name of these cookies refers to the lack of gluten development due to the oil in the vegan butter coating the flour proteins.

Because there is no liquid in the recipe and no rising agents, the gluten doesn’t have a chance to develop into long strands of protein that make them rise and become chewy.

Hence the term “short.” The result is an incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery cookie.

More Fruity Cookie Recipes

• Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
• Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies
• Vegan Orange Cranberry Cookies
• Vegan Fruitcake Cookies
• Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

Vegan Lemon Shortbread Cookies

5 from 4 votes

Prep: 35 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Calories:176

Servings: 12 cookies

Print Pin Rate

These dairy-free lemon shortbread cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth classic treat with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. They are tasty and addictive!

Author: Jhanelle Golding

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Rolling Pin
• Parchment paper
• 18-by-13 inch half sheet pan

Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements & measuring spoons.

How To Measure Baking Ingredients Correctly

Ingredients

1x2x3x

Shortbread Cookies:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups (175 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (spooned and leveled)
• ▢ 4 tablespoons (60 g) granulated cane sugar, or caster sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch, or white rice flour
• ▢ ½ cup (113 g) vegan butter or margarine (not unsalted), I used Country Crock Plant Butter Stick
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon zest, packed teaspoon, finely grated

Lemon Glaze:

• ▢ ½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar, spooned and leveled before sifting
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Instructions

Make the cookies:

• Set the oven racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325°F / 160°C.
• Sift the flour, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.
  1 ½ cups (175 g) unbleached all-purpose flour ,½ cup (60 g) cornstarch ,4 tablespoons (60 g) granulated cane sugar
• Rub in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  ½ cup (113 g) vegan butter or margarine (not unsalted)
• Mix in the zest with a fork, then stir in the lemon juice.
  1 teaspoon lemon zest ,1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• Gently knead the dough with your hands and form a firm ball. If it’s too crumbly to hold together, add up to 2 teaspoons more lemon juice. The dough should not be wet or sticky. Flatten into a disk.
• Lightly flour a clean work surface or two sheets of parchment paper to roll out the dough.
• Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch (5mm) thick. If you’re using a work surface, be sure to lightly dust the rolling pin and the dough with flour before rolling.
• Lightly flour a 7cm ( 2 ¾-inch) round cookie cutter. Mark then cut out 12 circles in the dough. You can re-roll the dough once more to get enough.
• Arrange the circles on a tray lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are pale in colour.

Make the glaze:

• Mix the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add a few teaspoons more liquid if needed for a thinner consistency. Stir in the zest.
  ½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar ,1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice ,¼ teaspoon lemon zest
• Brush the cookies with the glaze as soon as they are removed from the oven.
• Allow them to cool completely on the tray. The glaze will become transparent.

Notes

• Lemon can be substituted with orange juice and zest.
• Re-rolling the dough too many times may result in tough cookies. Try not to re-roll it more than once.
• The cookies can be cut into any desired shape! Use any cookie cutters you wish, and be sure to adjust cooking time if your cookie cutter has a more slender design.
• You can also roll the dough into a log then cut off round slices. Chill the dough for easier slicing if needed.
• Try my Vegan Lemon Frosting for a thicker icing option. Apply it to the cookies after they are fully cooled.

Tried this recipe? Snap a photo & share it in the comments below!

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Amount per Serving

Calories

176

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

7

g

11

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

3

g

Sodium

 

59

mg

3

%

Potassium

 

22

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

26

g

9

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

9

g

10

%

Protein

 

2

g

4

%

Vitamin A

 

1

IU

0

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

3

mg

0

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American, British

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian