Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Start spring with these tender vegan lemon poppy seed cookies. Tantalizingly tart, sweet and filled with crisp poppy seeds for a satisfying crunch!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated cane sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch or tapioca starch
- ½ cup vegan butter or margarine stick or block, not unsalted, cubed
- 2 teaspoons packed grated lemon zest from 2 to 3 lemons
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Add the sugars to a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest with a fork until evenly distributed. Sift and stir in the flour and cornstarch.1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated cane sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons packed grated lemon zest
- Add the vegan butter and rub it into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the poppy seeds and lemon juice.½ cup vegan butter or margarine, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- Gently knead the dough until a firm ball is formed. If it’s too crumbly, gradually add up to 2 teaspoons more lemon juice or water. The dough should not be wet or sticky.
- Add the dough to a clean surface or cutting board. Roll and shape it into a 10-inch log.
- Wrap the dough tightly in a large sheet of plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or until firm in the fridge. Store the dough in a cutout paper towel tube to help keep its rounded shape.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Unwrap the dough on a cutting surface. Slice off the ends to make them neater, using a sharp, straight-edged knife and a slicing (not sawing) motion.
- Mark and cut the remaining dough into 8 one-inch or 16 half-inch slices. Arrange the rounds at least 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for thinner cookies and 25 to 30 minutes for thicker cookies. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The bottoms should be golden brown. Add more time to make the cookies more crisp, if desired.
- Cool the cookies on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Optional: Add 2 to 3 drops of Electric Yellow food coloring to the cookie dough for a brighter pop of color. Try not to add too much, as the color may become more intense when baked.