Vegan Sugar Cookies with Lemon

First batch…

I don’t follow a vegan diet, but I like to try all types of options when I’m cooking and baking — like this recipe for Vegan Sugar Cookies with Lemon. Clearly I like to share recipes, and I have friends who are vegan, so if I run across a good one I like to pass it on. Best if I try it first!

Basic ingredients make this recipe convenient

This recipe sounded really easy, and since it’s vegan and I’m not, I was happy to see it didn’t call for any ingredients I didn’t already have in the kitchen. Plus I was able to use a lemon from the backyard tree (I’ve had citrus trees for more than 10 years, but it still gives me a little thrill to use fresh fruit from my backyard).

For my egg replacer I used a combination of applesauce and baking powder — 1/4 cup of applesauce mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder as the equivalent of one egg — and it worked really well.

A sweet surprise

The only thing that threw me with this recipe for – ahem – Vegan Sugar Cookies with Lemon was the sugar. The first batch I made, I used basic, white granulated sugar. I  did a little research after the fact only to discover that white granulated sugar isn’t considered vegan by most because of the way it is processed (in order to make the sugar white animal bones are used in the process). Good thing these weren’t made for any of my vegan friends! The next batch I made, I used turbinado sugar.

If you didn’t know what was missing from these cookies, you’d never miss it!

This recipe was adapted from ChooseVeg.com.

Recipe for Vegan Sugar Cookies with Lemon:

Makes about 20 cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla (I used the juice from half a lemon and the lemon zest)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (I used light Karo syrup)
• 1/4 cup of applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon and 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar, mixed to coat the cookies

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar and reserve until ready to bake.
3. Mix the remaining dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder and applesauce until blended.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (including the applesauce mixture).
6. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and form the dough into a ball. The dough should stick together at this point. If it doesn’t, add a bit of water and mix it into the dough.
7. From the large dough ball, take tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll them into a small ball. Roll the small balls into the cinnamon/sugar mixture and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten the balls a little with your hand.
8. Bake for about 7 minutes or until very lightly golden.

Makes about 20 cookies