Buttery gluten free lemon poppy seed cookies are a wonderful treat! These cookies are light, delicious, and gluten free, too!
There’s something about lemon desserts that just say springtime! These lemon poppy seed cookies have a wonderful citrus flavor due to plenty of lemon zest in the cookie dough.
These are very light, and a dusting of powdered sugar is all that they really need on top. If you would rather do a sandwich cookie, kind of like these cookies, you can do that! Just make up a batch of dairy free buttercream frosting, and make these into sandwiches.
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Top Tip
When you zest the lemon, make sure to only get the yellow zest, not the white part. The white part is bitter, and you don’t want that flavor to get into your cookies!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend for these cookies (as usual!), and it worked really well. I don’t recommend using coconut flour or almond flour for this recipe. The result will be too heavy and dense – not the light texture that you’d expect in a lemon cookie.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread works well for cookie recipes. You could also use the baking sticks if you prefer.
- Poppy Seeds – If you have a seed allergy and have to leave the poppy seeds out, that’s okay. These are still very tasty even without poppy seeds.
- Powdered Sugar – Wholesome Brand Sweeteners Powdered Sugar is vegan and corn free, and that’s what we use. Feel free to use any brand that works for your particular dietary needs.
Step by Step Instructions
- Mix the vegan buttery spread, sugars, and lemon juice on medium speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to combine.
- Pat the dough into two discs, and wrap in waxed paper. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for one hour.
- Roll the dough out, and cut into round cookies, or any other shape that you like. Place on cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets.
- Dust the cookies with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Storage
Store these cookies in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for about 5 days.
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Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan).
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ⅔ cup vegan buttery spread
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour blend I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
For the topping:
- ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- In a large bowl, beat the buttery spread, organic cane sugar, powdered sugar, and lemon juice on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the gluten free flour blend, lemon zest, and poppy seeds and mix on low speed to combine. (If the dough seems too wet, add a bit more flour. Texture can vary with different gluten free flour blends).
- Divide the dough into two parts, and shape into discs. Wrap the discs with plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin and rolling surface with gluten free flour. Place the dough on the surface and roll to about a ¼ inch thickness. (If the dough is too cold and stiff, you may have to let it warm up just a little bit before rolling.
- Using a round cookie cutter, (or a different shape if you prefer) cut out cookies, and quickly transfer them to the cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes.
- Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat steps 5-8 with the remaining dough.
- Once the cookies are cool, place the ½ cup of powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve and dust it over the cookies.
Annette
I’m trying to make these today. I used the flour in the recipe so I’m not sure why it’s so “wet” even after adding almost an additional 1/2 cup. My question is just how soft should the dough be when you make the discs to put in fridge for 2 hrs. It’s not falling apart in my hands but it’s very soft and somewhat tacky.
Kim
Just made these – rolled them a bit too thin but oh well. Should they be chewy or crunchy? Mine were chewy yet the pic looks like they’d be crunchy.
Brigitte
Hi can you use regular butter instead of vegan spread? And if so, how much do you use
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, just use the same amount!
Rise Kogon
Wanting to try this recipe. Notice there is no leavening agent such as baking powder as seen in several other Vegan cookie recipes. Is this an oversight or is the recipe correct as written?
Poppy seed cookies are my son’s favourite and i have notvmade them for him since he started to follow a vegan lifestyle.
Angel
Just made these cookies but I couldn’t find my poppy seeds so I threw in a tablespoon of dried basil. My hubby LOVED them! The texture is heavenly. Nice crisp classic cookies!
Kelly Roenicke
Sounds like a nice addition! Glad you loved these!
Carol K
These cookies are what I have been looking for! Do you think I could use earth balance vegan shortening instead of the spread?
Kelly
I think so but I haven’t tried that so I’m not positive. Let me know if you try it that way!
May
Would I be able to use coconut oil instead of the spread?
Pop
Hi I just made it and it became extremely hard. Like unedible hard??
Kelly
Hi there! I’m sorry you experienced this, I didn’t have that problem. Maybe they were in the oven too long, it’s pretty easy to overbake butter cookies.
Tina
Just put them in a container with a piece of bread. That will soften them right up.
Elizabeth
Hi Kelly–these cookies look amazing–love your pics! Just wanted to check before making
them–did you use Earth Balance sticks or from the tub? Thank you!
Kelly
Thank you! I used the tub, but if you have the sticks, they would be fine, too!
Rachel F.
I’d love to make these, but I don’t feel like rolling out dough at the moment lol. Can this dough be used to make them drop cookies, or would it only work rolled out?
Kelly
I’m not actually sure if it would be the same…it may be too thick in the middle and the bottom may burn while the middle stays uncooked.
Mo
I want to bake them for my son. I, too, want to mail the cookies to him. Can I use coconut oil instead applesauce?
Mo
Or what is a substitution for applesauce? Thank you
Kelly
The applesauce is a binder…oil will not work. The recipe already has a lot of buttery spread in it. Are you worried about the applesauce spoiling or something in the mail? It should be just fine once it is baked. You could try a flax egg in its place. That would be 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tablespoons of water. I do not know how it would work in this recipe though, I tested these cookies with applesauce. Good luck! :)
Mo
Thank you, Kelly! I will bake the cookies per your instructions.
Maureen
Hi! How well do these hold up? I want to mail them roughly 1800 miles. Are they on the softer side or the harder side?
Thanks!
Kelly
They are not crumbly…but to be honest, I have never tried to mail cookies, so I don’t know how they would hold up. They are a firmer cookie, so they might be fine! If you try it, please let me know how it works out!
Anna
Can I use mashed bananas instead of applesauce?? I’m out of applesauce and I really want to make this now!!!
Kelly
I have not tried it that way.,..I think the applesauce is more of a neutral flavor, so the lemon can really shine. I wonder if you would taste the banana?
Roberta
Very good, big hit Christmas morning.
I did have to add quite a bit extra flour, way too gooey to form into discs.
Isadora @ She Likes Food
I love these little lemon cookies! I put lemon on pretty much everything I eat, and I love a good lemon dessert. I also really love shortbread, it is so light and buttery :)
Kelly
Thank you, Isadora!
Yvonne
This look simple yet elegant! Definitely going to give it a try!
theprettybee
Thanks, Yvonne! I hope you enjoy them!
Jill
Can I use just regular flour in place of the gluten free flour?
theprettybee
You sure can!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext
I love lemon and poppyseed- genius idea baking cookies! Loving that glaze- super delicious!
theprettybee
Thank you so much, Jessica!
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven
These cookies are just perfect for Mother’s Day tomorrow! I just LOVE that photo of the glaze all over that stack of cookies. Lemon and poppyseeds just go so amazing together don’t they?? Have an awesome Mother’s Day weekend, Kelly! Pinned.
theprettybee
Thank you for your sweet words, Sarah! And thanks for pinning!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
I just love poppy seeds. Such happy little specks in baked goods! I hope you have a great Mother’s Day friend : )
theprettybee
Thank you, Natalie! I love poppy seeds, too!
Graham @ Glazed & Confused
Love these cookies! So simple and dainty. (I don’t think I’ve ever even used the word dainty legitimately before. Congrats!)
theprettybee
Thank you so much! Dainty is what I was going for here! :)