Soft Vegan Sugar Cookies with Lemon & Cashew Icing

Vegan Sugar Cookies

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 22 mins | Total: 37 mins | Serves: ['12', '12 cookies']

I still remember the first time I pulled a batch of vegan sugar cookies out of the oven and actually gasped — not at a burnt edge, but at how *puffy* they were. I'd convinced myself that anything without butter or eggs would turn out flat and sad, so seeing these little domes of golden dough cooling on the rack felt like a small victory I hadn't earned yet. These vegan sugar cookies changed my mind about what plant-based baking could do. The dough comes together with pantry staples you probably already have — maple syrup for sweetness, coconut oil for that tender crumb, and a bright splash of fresh lemon juice that lifts the whole thing without announcing itself. No chilling, no fuss, no weird egg replacers lurking in your fridge. What really won me over was the texture: soft in the center, just barely crisp at the edges, and sturdy enough to hold a swoosh of cashew icing without turning soggy. That icing, by the way, blends raw macadamia nuts and cashews with a splash of almond milk until it's silky enough to pipe or spread. But honestly? These vegan sugar cookies are just as lovely plain, with nothing more than a dusting of powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon on top. Fifteen minutes of prep, twenty-two in the oven, and you've got a cookie that happens to be vegan — not a vegan cookie that happens to taste good.

Vegan Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup unroasted macadamia nuts*
• ½ cup unroasted cashews*
• 2–4 tablespoons almond milk
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1½ cups plain flour
• 1 cup ground almonds
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (no aluminum)
• just under 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil, chilled
• ½ cup almond milk, cold
• 1½ tablespoons lemon zest**
• Magical sprinkles (for decorating)

Instructions

Step 1

Start by grabbing your high-speed blender — this is where the magic happens for that silky, pipeable frosting. Add ½ cup macadamia nuts, ½ cup cashews, 2 tablespoons almond milk, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed; if the mixture seems too thick to blend, add another tablespoon or two of almond milk, one at a time, until it flows easily. If you have a tamper (that blender baton), use it to push the nuts into the blades — this keeps things moving without you having to stop and scrape constantly. Once it's silky with no grainy bits left, transfer the frosting to a bowl and pop it in the fridge to chill and firm up while you bake the cookies. You can make this up to 6 days ahead, so don't stress if you want to get a head start.

Step 2

First things first, get your oven heating to 350°F and grab a large baking sheet — lay down a sheet of parchment paper so your cookies don't stick later. Now, here's where the food processor earns its keep: toss in your all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then pulse a few times until everything looks evenly mixed. Add the coconut oil in small chunks (this helps it incorporate without melting) and pulse until the mixture turns into coarse, sandy crumbs. Finally, pour in the almond milk and add your lemon zest, then pulse just until a soft dough starts to come together — you're looking for something that holds when you squeeze it, not a sticky mess or dry crumbles.

Step 3

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and give it a gentle knead — just a few folds — until it comes together into a cohesive ball. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (weighing them helps keep the cookies uniform), then roll each piece between your palms to form a smooth ball. Arrange the balls on your prepared baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between them, then use the bottom of a glass or your fingertips to press each ball down into a disk roughly ½ inch thick — they'll spread a bit more in the oven, so don't flatten them too much here.

Step 4

Slide your baking sheet onto the oven rack and set a timer for 12 minutes. You're looking for edges that have just started to turn pale gold — the centers will still look slightly underdone, and that's exactly what you want. They'll firm up as they cool, so don't wait for them to look fully baked in the oven. When the timer goes off, pull the pan out and let the cookies rest right there on the hot sheet for 10 minutes; this carryover heat finishes baking them gently without drying them out. After that, use a thin spatula to transfer them to a wire rack, spacing them out so air can flow around each one. Give them at least 30 minutes to cool completely before you even think about frosting — warm cookies will melt your icing into a sad, greasy puddle.

Nutrition Information

calories: 280 kcal

fat: 16g

carbs: 28g

protein: 5g

fiber: 2g

My Tip

**My Tip:** Don't skip chilling that frosting — the coconut oil needs time to firm up, or you'll end up with a runny glaze that slides right off your cookies instead of setting into that pretty, pipeable layer.

Leftovers

These cookies stay soft and chewy for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature—no fridge needed, since chilling can make the nut-based dough turn dense. To reheat, pop one in the microwave for 8–10 seconds or warm a batch on a baking sheet at 300°F for 3–4 minutes to bring back that fresh-baked texture.

Make It Your Own

Swap the maple syrup for ¼ cup date paste (blended soaked dates + 2 tablespoons water) — you'll keep the same caramel sweetness and moisture, but add a subtle fruity depth that pairs beautifully with the lemon and vanilla.

#vegan sugar cookies #fall #spring #summer #winter