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Home » Desserts » Vegan and Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies.

Vegan and Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies.

May 9, 2014 · Modified: Sep 14, 2021 by Kelly Roenicke · 45 Comments

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Buttery lemon poppy seed cookies are crisp and delicious! Make them special by adding a simple glaze. Vegan and gluten free cookie recipe, and free of the top 8 allergens.

Buttery gluten free lemon poppy seed cookies are a wonderful treat! Make them extra special by topping them with a simple lemon glaze. 

gluten free lemon poppy seed cookies

What are your Mother’s Day plans? If you are a mom, I hope you are going to get to put your feet up for a few minutes and eat a little sweet treat on Sunday! I think that these light gluten free lemon poppy seed cookies are a perfect Mother’s Day brunch or lunch cookie. Crispy, buttery, and flavorful, they are a delicious little dessert.

You can make these plain, or top them with a simple glaze. Lemon juice or water plus some confectioner’s sugar is all it takes to make the glaze.  And it’s up to you as far as flavor goes…Darryl prefers a really lemony glaze, and I prefer a sweeter glaze.

This is a very versatile recipe! 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.

If you’d rather leave the poppy seeds out, that’s okay, too. These are still very tasty even without poppy seeds.

Best gluten free flour to use for cookies

I think that my gluten free flour blend works very well for these cookies. If you don’t want to make your own blend, try to get a store bought flour blend that’s a little lighter, like Gluten Free 123.

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.

lemon poppy seed cookies

More gluten free vegan cookie recipes

  • Classic Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Pumpkin Cookies with White Chocolate Glaze
  • Sugar Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Vegan and gluten free lemon poppy seed shortbread cookies! A light and delicious cookie for springtime!
5 from 4 votes
Print

Vegan and Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies.

These vegan and gluten free cookies are light, lemony, and delectable!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan.
Keyword easy, frosted
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 24 minutes
Servings 32 cookies
Calories 100 kcal
Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 2 cups gluten free flour
  • â…” cup vegan buttery spread
  • 1 cup organic cane sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest be careful when you zest the lemon to get only the yellow, not any white!
  • 1 Tablespoons poppy seeds

For the glaze:

  • 1 ½ cups confectioner's sugar
  • 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice or water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cookies:

  1. In a large bowl, beat the buttery spread, sugar, applesauce, and lemon juice on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the gluten free flour blend and lemon zest, mix to combine. Add the poppy seeds and mix. (If the dough seems too wet, add a bit more flour. Texture can vary with different gluten free flour blends).
  3. Divide the dough into two parts, and shape into discs. Wrap the discs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or freeze for about 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

  5. 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.
  6. Using a round cookie cutter, (or a different shape - flowers would be pretty!) cut out cookies, and quickly transfer them to the cookie sheets.
  7. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.
  8. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze:

  1. Sift the confectioner's sugar into a mixing bowl.
  2. Add the lemon juice, or water, depending on if you want a lemony glaze, or just a sugary glaze, and whisk. If the glaze is too thick, add more liquid.
  3. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Recipe Notes

You can use regular all-purpose flour or white spelt flour if you don't need these to be gluten free.

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for about 5 days.

Nutrition Facts
Vegan and Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies.
Amount per Serving
Calories
100
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Sodium
 
30
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
4
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
 
17
g
6
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Vitamin A
 
180
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
0.8
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
9
mg
1
%
Iron
 
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, food, Gluten Free, Holiday Cookies, Nut Free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegan Tagged With: Dairy Free, easy recipe, Egg Free, Fish Free, Garlic Free, Legume Free, Mustard Free, Nightshade Free, Onion Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kelly Roenicke
Kelly Roenicke
Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
Kelly Roenicke
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angel

    October 21, 2017 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      October 21, 2017 at 4:35 pm

      Sounds like a nice addition! Glad you loved these!

      Reply
  2. Carol K

    June 01, 2016 at 7:42 am

    These cookies are what I have been looking for! Do you think I could use earth balance vegan shortening instead of the spread?

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 08, 2016 at 12:02 am

      I think so but I haven’t tried that so I’m not positive. Let me know if you try it that way!

      Reply
  3. May

    May 12, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    5 stars
    Would I be able to use coconut oil instead of the spread?

    Reply
  4. Pop

    January 16, 2016 at 10:21 pm

    Hi I just made it and it became extremely hard. Like unedible hard??

    Reply
    • Kelly

      January 19, 2016 at 12:20 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Tina

        June 24, 2019 at 6:02 pm

        Just put them in a container with a piece of bread. That will soften them right up.

        Reply
  5. Elizabeth

    December 14, 2015 at 10:22 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      December 15, 2015 at 7:04 pm

      Thank you! I used the tub, but if you have the sticks, they would be fine, too!

      Reply
  6. Rachel F.

    July 26, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Kelly

      July 27, 2015 at 10:29 am

      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.

      Reply
  7. Mo

    June 16, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    I want to bake them for my son. I, too, want to mail the cookies to him. Can I use coconut oil instead applesauce?

    Reply
    • Mo

      June 16, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      Or what is a substitution for applesauce? Thank you

      Reply
      • Kelly

        June 17, 2014 at 10:21 pm

        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! :)

        Reply
        • Mo

          June 18, 2014 at 12:40 pm

          Thank you, Kelly! I will bake the cookies per your instructions.

          Reply
  8. Maureen

    May 26, 2014 at 10:51 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      May 26, 2014 at 10:38 pm

      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!

      Reply
  9. Anna

    May 22, 2014 at 1:03 pm

    Can I use mashed bananas instead of applesauce?? I’m out of applesauce and I really want to make this now!!!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      May 22, 2014 at 1:40 pm

      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?

      Reply
    • Roberta

      December 28, 2022 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      Very good, big hit Christmas morning.
      I did have to add quite a bit extra flour, way too gooey to form into discs.

      Reply
  10. Isadora @ She Likes Food

    May 12, 2014 at 9:43 pm

    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 :)

    Reply
    • Kelly

      May 22, 2014 at 1:41 pm

      Thank you, Isadora!

      Reply
  11. Yvonne

    May 12, 2014 at 2:20 am

    This look simple yet elegant! Definitely going to give it a try!

    Reply
    • theprettybee

      May 12, 2014 at 9:05 am

      Thanks, Yvonne! I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply
  12. Jill

    May 11, 2014 at 11:36 pm

    Can I use just regular flour in place of the gluten free flour?

    Reply
    • theprettybee

      May 12, 2014 at 9:03 am

      You sure can!

      Reply
  13. Jess @ whatjessicabakednext

    May 10, 2014 at 12:57 pm

    I love lemon and poppyseed- genius idea baking cookies! Loving that glaze- super delicious!

    Reply
    • theprettybee

      May 12, 2014 at 8:57 am

      Thank you so much, Jessica!

      Reply
  14. Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven

    May 10, 2014 at 9:11 am

    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.

    Reply
    • theprettybee

      May 12, 2014 at 8:55 am

      Thank you for your sweet words, Sarah! And thanks for pinning!

      Reply
  15. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely

    May 09, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    I just love poppy seeds. Such happy little specks in baked goods! I hope you have a great Mother’s Day friend : )

    Reply
    • theprettybee

      May 12, 2014 at 8:53 am

      Thank you, Natalie! I love poppy seeds, too!

      Reply
  16. Graham @ Glazed & Confused

    May 09, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    Love these cookies! So simple and dainty. (I don’t think I’ve ever even used the word dainty legitimately before. Congrats!)

    Reply
    • theprettybee

      May 12, 2014 at 8:52 am

      Thank you so much! Dainty is what I was going for here! :)

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Trackbacks

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Hi! I'm Kelly, and I believe that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.

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