I don’t know about you but lemon blueberry is one of the best flavor combinations you could ask for. We make our lemon blueberry bread often, especially to use up those soft fresh blueberries that people don’t always want to eat.
But also our vegan lemon blueberry pancakes are the perfect way to start your day and if you need something on the go then our lemon blueberry chia pudding is definitely the way to go.
But enough about our obsession about lemon blueberry things. Truthfully, these lemon blueberry cookies are our families new favorite and we can’t believe we never had them in our life before. It’s one of those cookies that you can’t eat just one and before you know it the entire tray is gone.
It’s the cookie that HAS to go on your holiday cookie options and once you try it you’ll understand why!
Get all our cookie recipes! Over 3 dozen varieties!
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Why you’ll love these cookies:
Freezable
We do know that these take awhile to make which makes freezer options even more awesome. You have two options, freeze the dough and blueberry compete separately before cooking or bake your cookies, let them cool and then store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Bakery Quality
You won’t believe the flavor and texture you get from these and neither will anyone else. These cookies are truly impressive.
Flavor
These are the perfect combo of freshness from the blueberries, sweetness from the sugars, and tart from the lemons. The addition of all three make this something truly special, especially if you don’t care for chocolate desserts.
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cookie Recipe Ingredients
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Fresh Blueberries and Lemons
These are the highlights of our cookies and we want to use the best ingredients. Fresh lemons and fresh blueberries are where you’re going to get the best flavor for these cookies.
Definitely want to avoid using bottled lemon juice for these.
For the compote only, you can use frozen blueberries, but not when adding the whole ones to the cookies.
Flour
We want to make this recipe simple, so we’re using regular, all-purpose flour. You will want to make sure that you are properly measuring the flour and not over measuring.
Substitute: Want to make it gluten free? Try using Pillsbury 1:1 Flour. We’ve had the best success with this recipe using it.
Sugar
We’re using a combination of cane and brown sugar. Brown sugar gives a softer and chewier texture while also creating a caramelization from the molasses that just heightens the sweetness. Cane sugar provide some of the texture we want and crunch that you get at the end.
Substitute: You can use other granulated sugars like date sugar or coconut sugar in the same amounts.
Non-Dairy Yogurt
This is not only helping with binding in place of eggs, but also moisture. We have used a lot of vegan egg replacer ideas for cookies, but we love this combination for these specific cookies. Make sure it’s a neutral tasting non-dairy yogurt.
Substitute: You can use the same amount of any of the following: full fat canned coconut milk (the thick part on top) or applesauce.
Non-Dairy Butter
We want the buttery taste, it’s deliciousness, but also for the oil in the batter. You will want to use a vegan butter that has oil listed as the first ingredient and not water – and use sticks instead of tubs based on our vegan butter review.
Substitute: Coconut oil will work as well; however, you’ll loose some of the buttery taste
Vanilla and Almond Extracts
We really love using both in this recipe for the added taste. If you can’t have almonds, just use more vanilla.
Salt
Helps to enhance the overall flavor and bring out all the notes you want to taste
Baking Soda and Baking Powder
This is our leavening agent that helps the dough rise, but also helps spread the cookies to the perfect size and aeration, as well as the crisp.
Tips For Making Vegan Cookies
Here’s some easy tips on making the best vegan cookies recipe.
- Preheat the oven before you start rolling. An accurately heated oven will ensure that the cookies can rise and spread perfectly.
- DON’T mismeasure flour or overmix your batter. This will alter the texture immensely and not give you cookies that you will think are perfect.
- Cream the butter and sugar properly. Don’t just beat your butter and sugar together until it’s mixed. You want to keep whipping it until the mixture is a pale yellow and fluffy. It takes about 2-3 minutes to do this. Not doing this properly can cause your cookies to be flat.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure uniform size of cookies so they bake at an even temperature.
- Don’t make substitutions unless you are aware of the changes it will make to your cookies
- Make sure to watch the video before making
- Without opening the oven door – watch your cookies in the oven as all oven temperatures are different you may need to pull out your cookies earlier or leave longer
Other must try vegan cookies:
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Bakery Style Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Ingredients
Blueberry Compote
- 1 cup fresh blueberries (150g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12g)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (3g)
- 1 teaspoon water
Lemon Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- zest of 1 lemon
Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup vegan butter, cool and softened (170g)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (150g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¼ cup vegan yogurt (60g)
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (16g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup fresh blueberries (110-115g)
Instructions
Blueberry Compote
- Add the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently smashing some of the berries as they release their juices.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until completely smooth. Pour mixture into blueberry sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until filling is thick, glossy, and jammy.
- To check consistency, drag a spatula across the bottom and a trail should remain visible for a moment but the blueberry mixture slowly comes back together. Should not be thin or runny. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. Once cool, line a plate or baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Drop 2 teaspoon portions on to the parchment (should have about 8). Freeze for 30-45 minutes or until firm enough to pick up and handle.
Lemon Sugar Coating
- Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar for about 30 seconds. Sugar should be fragrant and slightly damp from the oils. Set aside.
Cookie Dough
- Add the cool, softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat together for 1–2 minutes, just until creamy and well combined. Avoid excessively creaming the mixture, which can warm the vegan butter.The vegan butter should be cool to the touch and firm enough to hold its shape, but soft enough that pressing it with your finger leaves an indentation. It should not appear shiny, oily, or greasy. If your butter becomes shiny or greasy before mixing, return it to the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes before continuing.
- Add the vegan yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until combined. Then add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix just until a thick cookie dough forms and no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the fresh blueberries, being careful not to crush them or overwork the dough.
Fill the cookies
- Divide the cookie dough into 8 equal portions, approximately 120–125g each. Working with one portion at a time, flatten the dough slightly in the palm of your hand.
- Place one frozen blueberry filling portion in the center. Then, bring the cookie dough up and around the filling, completely enclosing it. Pinch the seams closed so none of the blueberry filling is exposed. Gently shape into a thick ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Coat and Chill
- Roll each cookie generously in the prepared lemon sugar. For a bakery-style appearance, gently press a few additional fresh blueberries into the tops, if desired. Do not flatten the cookies.Place the cookies on a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably 2). The dough should feel cold and firm before it goes into the oven.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190C). Line 2 large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 4 cookies per baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between them.
- Bake for 14–17 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden, the tops are crackled, and the centers still look slightly soft. Do not over bake. Don't wait for the centers to become firm.
Cooling
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. The centers will continue setting as they cool. Carefully transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool further.The result we're looking for is a cookie that's lightly crisp around the edges, a little thicker through the center than the original, soft and tender inside, with whole blueberries throughout and a distinct jammy blueberry center.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions:
You will be happy to know that you can make these completely free of top allergens.
For the vegan butter, we would recommend using a soy free vegan butter, like Earth Balance soy free in the red tub
For gluten free, we have had the best of luck with Pillsbury 1:1 Gluten Free Flour.
Replace the almond extract with more vanilla.
No. If you have sticky dough and followed the instructions, it could be because of the altitude that you live at or maybe things weren’t measure entirely correctly.
In the case of your dough because sticky, we first recommend that you watch the video.
After that, you can able a few tablespoons of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. We don’t recommend adding more than 3 additional tablespoons of flour.
If you add more flour and your dough is still sticky, place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
This is a result of mismeasuring flour or overmixing your batter. You will want to make sure that you are spooning in the flour to your measuring cups and only blending until mixed.
Yes! Let cool completely and then leave in an air tight container on the counter for up to 5 days. For softer cookies, place a slice of bread in the container. For crispier cookies, place in a glass container.
Of course. Whether you want to eat the entire batch at one time or you just need a couple here and there, you can totally roll out what you need and then freeze the remaining batter in an air tight freezer container or bag.
Absolutely! While chilling dough isn’t needed for this recipe, if you wanted to make the dough ahead, but not ready to make, just cover the bowl and place in the fridge up 3 days.
It does take chilled cookies longer to cook, so check after the recommended baking time and you may need an additional few minutes to finish your cookies.
In the United States, most sugar has been processed through bone char. While there are no animal parts left in the sugar, many vegans are not okay with the practice of using animal parts in the refining process.
This refers to white sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.
One easy way to ensure that your sugar has not been processed with bone char is to look for Organic or Non-Gmo sugars as bone char is not allowed with either of these.
Some sugar packages also say bone char free.
This is not the case in most other countries. Learn more about why your sugar might not be vegan.
Many people believe that since there’s no eggs in the dough, that they could just eat the dough; however, flour is actually more a risk for salmonella poisoning than eggs.
For that reason, we do not recommend eating this dough.
However, we do have an edible vegan chocolate chip cookie dough that you can eat and you can follow the same process for cooking the flour for these.
Absolutely incredible! So decadent they feel like more than just a cookie. Instant new favorite. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you so much! We’re so happy to hear that you loved the recipe!!
The crunchiness of the lemon zest sugar coating contrasts the softness of the cookie for a texture profile that is incredibly satisfying. A perfect balance of flavors, and a richness that cannot be understated.
OMG thank you!! We felt the same way about that lemon sugar coating too and it’s awesome to hear that someone else appreciated the contrast. Thank you so much for the kind words and for giving the recipe a try!!
Freezing did help. They were a huge success last night! Thanks
That’s great to hear! We’re so glad to hear that they were a huge success. Thank you for giving the recipe a try!!
Good morning. These look fabulous and I’m going to make them today for company. One question. The video doesn’t show the compete freezing part. You just scooped the compote into the cookies. Which way do you recommend. And I’ve loved so many recipes from you I’ve tried.
We just added that after some feedback as we think it will be easier for people to not much such a mess. Hope you love them
You 100% outdid yourself on this recipe. I don’t even have any words for how creative and absolutely scrumptious these are! I made these with my homemade vegan butter which is fluffy and soft and they came out gorgeous (they’re giant cookies!). At first I hesitated making them bc they seemed like a ton of work for 8 cookies but they came together fast and were so fun to make.
The lemon flavor pops and the added zest & sugar coating was out of this world! I can’t wait to make these again! Thanks for sharing your lovely recipes.
So glad you tried them and loved them
Please share your homemade vegan butter. Thank you
Hey! Thank you so much for the review, we actually don’t have a vegan butter recipe on the website at this time but we really appreciate the suggestion!
WINNER!!!
Closely following Andrew’s instructions resulted in EIGHT, DELICIOUS COOKIES. They’re large, 4-inches across, tender, with crisp edges, and full of flavor. (I used slightly less sugar but that took nothing away from the taste or texture.)
Awww, thank you!! We’re so happy to hear that these were a winner. We truly appreciate you giving them a try and sharing your thoughts here with us!
As soon as I saw this video, I had to make these. They are heavenly! I made 12 instead of 8 and ran out of compote. I like the size so I’d make more compote next time. I live at high altitude so baked them at 375 degrees.
Awww, thank you so much! We’re really glad to hear that you loved the cookies. And thank you so much for sharing your experience cooking at high altitude. We’re positive our others will find that tip super helpful!