Vegan Lemon Pistachio Cookies

These vegan lemon pistachio cookies are bursting with lemon flavour and have just the perfect crunch from the pistachios. They're just the perfect afternoon treat and they're ready in just 20 minutes!

If you love lemon, you're bound to fall in love with these vegan lemon pistachio cookies! These easy vegan lemon cookies are bursting with lemon flavour and are also a treat for nut lovers!

Toasted pistachio kernels elevate these cookies to a whole new level. What's even better, you only need a handful of ingredients to make a batch of these cute drops of goodness.

Why you'll love these vegan lemon pistachio cookies

• They're easy to make. You only need a handful of ingredients to make them, and you can whip up a batch in just 20 minutes.
• They're super versatile. I love the lemon pistachio combo for these cookies, but you can also make them with any other kind of nuts or even sultanas.
• They're packed with lemon flavour. — These vegan lemon cookies are perfect if you love all things lemon!

Ingredients and substitutions

Plant-based butter — Any kind of unsalted plant-based butter works here. Make sure the butter is at room temperature before starting on these cookies.

Light brown sugar — Brown sugar is perfect for these egg-free lemon cookies because it makes them slightly chewy and more flavourful than they'd be if you used white sugar.

Baking soda — You need baking soda to help lift the cookies. Don't substitute it with baking powder for these cookies.

Lemon extract — The purpose of lemon extract is to enhance the lemon flavour even more. You don't need much, but it really makes a difference.

Lemon juice — Fresh lemon juice is best for this vegan lemon cookie recipe. You'll need about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, which is the typical yield of half a medium lemon.

Cashew milk – I like the nutty flavour of cashew milk in these dairy-free lemon cookies because it pairs great with the pistachios. However, you can use any other dairy-free milk, such as almond or soy, for example.

Plain flour — Also known as all-purpose flour, this is the regular type of flour you'd use in most cookies.

Pistachios — You'll need raw, unsalted pistachio kernels for these eggless lemon cookies. Toast the pistachio kernels for a couple of minutes in a small pan before chopping them roughly.

How to make vegan lemon cookies

Add the plant-based butter and light brown sugar to a bowl and cream them together with a handheld mixer.

Stir in the lemon extract and mix to combine.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt to a separate bowl and mix well.

Next, combine this mixture with the butter and sugar mix. Add the lemon juice and cashew milk and mix everything well by hand.

Add pistachios (reserve some for sprinkling on cookies before baking) and continue to mix until you get a slightly crumbly dough.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form about 24 cookie dough balls and place them onto the cooking trays. Flatten the balls just a bit with your fingers or a fork. Make sure you leave some room between the cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the top of the cookies is set. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage

• Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Only do so after they cooled completely.
• Thaw the frozen cookies to room temperature before serving.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can add the zest of half a lemon instead of the lemon extract.
• If you want your cookies to be more yellow in colour, you can add 2-3 drops of yellow food colouring — just make sure you use one that's suitable for vegans.
• Coconut oil also works instead of vegan butter. Use the same quantity of unmelted coconut oil. Refined coconut oil is best if you don't want your cookies to have a strong coconut flavour.

If you liked these vegan lemon cookies, you might also like some of my other vegan recipes with lemon:

• Vegan Saffron Pasta with Lemon
• Creamy Vegan Lemon and Basil Pasta
• Vegan Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Orzo Soup)
• Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
• Butter Bean Soup with Lemon and Kale

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