Delicious Vegan Lemon Sandwich Cookies: Zesty Shortbread Delights

Indulge in these exquisite vegan lemon sandwich cookies – delicate lemon shortbread biscuits with a vibrant lemon buttercream filling. Light, crisp, and utterly delicious, they offer a burst of fresh citrus flavor that will brighten any occasion. Perfect as a delightful treat for Easter celebrations or an elegant addition to your afternoon tea spread, these cookies are as charming to look at as they are to eat.

These vegan lemon sandwich cookies boast a wonderfully delicate, buttery, and intensely zesty lemon flavor, coupled with a light, crisp, and truly melt-in-the-mouth texture. What’s even better? They are surprisingly easy to make, even for novice bakers!

Each delightful cookie consists of two thin, perfectly baked lemon shortbread biscuits, generously filled with a creamy, tangy vegan lemon buttercream. The shortbread base is designed to hold its shape beautifully during baking, meaning you can unleash your creativity with a variety of cookie cutters to suit any theme or special event, from festive shapes to elegant rounds.

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Lemon Sandwich Cookies

• Unforgettable Flavor: The combination of fresh lemon zest and a hint of lemon extract creates a bright, refreshing taste that’s both comforting and invigorating.
• Perfect Texture: Expect a tender, crumbly shortbread that melts in your mouth, perfectly complemented by the smooth, luxurious buttercream filling.
• Naturally Dairy-Free: Made with readily available vegan ingredients, these cookies are ideal for those following a plant-based diet or anyone with dairy allergies.
• Versatile Treat: Their elegant appearance and delicious taste make them suitable for a wide range of occasions, from casual gatherings to formal tea parties.
• Easily Customizable: While fantastic on their own, these cookies are a blank canvas for additional decorations like drizzles, glazes, or even a bolder lemon filling.

Essential Ingredients for Your Zesty Lemon Cookies

Crafting the perfect vegan lemon sandwich cookie begins with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial:

Lemons: The star of the show! Most of the vibrant lemon flavor in both the shortbread and the buttercream comes from the zest. It’s vital to use unwaxed lemons, as the wax can contain animal products and hinder the extraction of essential oils. Always give your lemons a thorough wash before zesting to ensure purity and maximum flavor.

Lemon Extract: To truly amplify that signature lemon punch in the buttercream and sometimes the cookie dough, a good quality lemon extract is indispensable. It’s challenging to infuse a strong lemon flavor using only lemon juice in baked goods and buttercreams, as too much liquid can alter the consistency. A touch of extract provides that concentrated zest without compromising texture.

Vegan Block Butter: This is arguably the most critical ingredient for achieving that classic shortbread texture and stable buttercream. Please, for the love of perfect baking, opt for a solid vegan block butter or margarine, and absolutely avoid the spreadable kind typically found in tubs. Spreadable margarines contain a higher water content, which will likely result in a dough that’s too soft, making your biscuits tough and prone to spreading. For the buttercream, a block butter is essential to prevent splitting and ensure a creamy, fluffy consistency. My top recommendations are Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Butter, which perform excellently in baking.

Plain Flour (All-Purpose Flour): Standard plain or all-purpose flour is ideal for these cookies. It provides the necessary structure without being too dense. While I haven’t personally experimented with gluten-free alternatives for this specific recipe, using a good quality plain flour will yield the best results for the intended texture.

Cornflour (Cornstarch): This secret ingredient is key to achieving that wonderfully delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture that shortbread is famous for. Cornflour helps to tenderize the dough and reduces gluten development, resulting in a lighter, more crumbly biscuit. If you don’t have cornflour on hand, you can substitute it with an equal weight of plain flour, though the texture might be slightly less tender.

Sugar: For the cookie dough, I prefer caster sugar (superfine sugar) as its fine granules dissolve easily, contributing to a smooth dough. Granulated sugar will also work effectively. For the luscious buttercream, icing sugar (powdered sugar) is essential to create a smooth, lump-free, and delightfully sweet filling.

Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla extract adds a subtle depth and warmth that beautifully complements the bright lemon notes. It’s a background flavor enhancer that ties everything together. If you’re looking to elevate the flavor even further, a vanilla bean paste would be an incredible substitute, offering richer, more complex vanilla notes.

Mastering the Art of Vegan Lemon Sandwich Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide

(For precise measurements and full instructions, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this page)

Begin by preparing your shortbread dough. In a generously sized bowl, combine the slightly softened vegan block butter, sugar, finely grated lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk these ingredients together until they are beautifully combined and light in color, creating a creamy base.

Next, gently whisk in the cornflour (cornstarch) until fully incorporated. This helps to achieve that desired melt-in-the-mouth texture. After the cornflour, add the plain flour. Stir the mixture with a spoon or spatula, being careful not to overmix, until all the flour is thoroughly moistened and no visible lumps of butter remain.

Use your hands to lightly bring the dough together into a cohesive ball. Divide this dough into two equal halves and gently shape each half into a flat disc. This makes rolling easier later.

Wrap each dough disc individually in cling film or parchment paper and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes. This chilling period is crucial as it allows the butter to firm up, making the dough much easier to roll out without sticking and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

Once chilled, lightly flour your work surface and roll out one of the dough discs to a uniform thickness of about 4mm. Using approximately 6 cm (or 2 ⅓rd inch) cookie cutters in your preferred shapes, cut out as many cookies as you can from the rolled dough.

Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are slightly spaced apart to allow for even baking. Repeat this process with the second disc of dough. Gather any dough scraps, gently knead them together, roll out again, and cut more cookies until all the dough is used. If the dough becomes too soft at any point, simply pop it back into the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.

Before baking, place the trays of cut cookies into the freezer for 15 minutes, or the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This second chilling step is vital for maintaining the cookies’ shape. While they chill, preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.

Bake the chilled cookies for approximately 15 minutes, or until their edges turn a beautiful light golden color. Keep a close eye on them, as baking times can vary. Once baked, let them cool on the tray for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They need to be fully cooled before you assemble them with buttercream.

Now, let’s make the glorious lemon buttercream! In a clean bowl, combine the slightly softened vegan block butter, sifted icing (powdered) sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Using an electric mixer, whisk these ingredients together for several minutes until the buttercream becomes wonderfully light, fluffy, and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

Finally, it’s time for assembly! Take one cooled cookie and spread a generous dollop of lemon buttercream over its flat base. Then, gently top it with another cookie, pressing lightly to create your perfect vegan lemon sandwich cookie. Repeat this process with all remaining cookies. For an extra touch of elegance and flavor, you can drizzle the tops of the assembled cookies with a little melted vegan white chocolate.

Pro Tips for Flawless Vegan Lemon Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality vegan lemon sandwich cookies is easier than you think with these expert tips:

• Measure with Precision: All my recipes are developed using grams, and for baking, I strongly advocate for using metric measurements with a digital scale rather than cup conversions. Cups are notoriously inaccurate and inconsistent. A digital scale ensures precise results every time, leading to superior texture and flavor, and often a less messy baking experience!
• Avoid Overworking the Dough: Shortbread is meant to be tender. Overmixing or overworking the dough will develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough, chewy biscuits instead of crisp ones. Mix just until the ingredients are fully combined, then use your hands to gently bring the dough together.
• Dough Storage Versatility: The prepared dough is quite forgiving. It will keep well-wrapped in the fridge for up to three days. If it becomes too firm to roll after refrigeration, simply let it sit at room temperature for about half an hour to soften slightly before proceeding. For longer storage, the dough can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to three months. Remember to allow it to defrost fully in the fridge before you plan to roll it out.
• The Importance of Chilling: Do not skip the chilling steps! Chilling the dough before rolling and then again before baking is crucial. This helps solidify the vegan butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading excessively in the oven, ensuring they maintain their crisp edges and delicate shapes.
• Customize Flavor Intensity: These cookies offer a beautifully delicate lemon flavor. If you desire a more intense, ‘punchier’ lemon experience, consider filling them with a vibrant vegan lemon curd, either on its own or alongside the lemon buttercream.
• Elevate with Decorations: For a more polished and appealing look, a simple drizzle of melted vegan white chocolate can transform plain cookies into elegant treats. Other fantastic options include a classic lemon glaze (made with powdered sugar and lemon juice) or even a decorative royal icing for special occasions.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

These vegan lemon sandwich cookies are incredibly versatile and perfect for various settings. Serve them alongside a warm cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon delight, as a light dessert after a meal, or package them beautifully as homemade gifts. Their bright flavor makes them particularly suitable for spring and summer events.

Once baked and assembled with buttercream, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain fresh and delicious for approximately 4-5 days. Please note that over time, the buttercream will slightly soften the shortbread, creating a tenderer cookie.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

The recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flour. While it might be possible, specific gluten-free flour blends react differently, and adjustments to liquid and fat might be needed to achieve the desired shortbread texture. Proceed with caution if experimenting.

How can I get more lemon flavor?

For an extra lemon kick, increase the amount of lemon zest in both the cookies and the buttercream. You can also add an additional drop of lemon extract to the buttercream. As mentioned in the tips, filling them with vegan lemon curd is another excellent way to boost the citrus notes.

Can I freeze the baked cookies?

Yes, you can freeze the baked shortbread cookies *before* adding the buttercream. Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before filling with fresh buttercream.

My buttercream is too runny/thick, what should I do?

If your buttercream is too runny, add more sifted icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tiny amount (half a teaspoon) of lemon juice or vegan milk until it loosens up.

More Vegan Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

• Vegan Linzer Cookies
• Vegan Pecan Snowball Cookies
• Vegan Shortbread Fingers
• Vegan Chocolate Orange Shortbread
• Vegan Vanilla Sugar Cookies
• Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
• Vegan Cranberry Orange Shortbread

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