Gluten-Free, Vegan Lemon Cookies

All set up for the workshop

Hi! How is your weekend going so far? Mine started off wonderfully with a healthy cooking class at the health center where I work. The class was based around incorporating more fresh vegetables into our diet along with a delicious gluten-free, vegan lemon cookie recipe. We started the workshop with a green smoothie recipe. I always try to promote Robyn Openshaw’s site, greensmoothiegirl.com, because she has a very informational and inspiring website centered around green smoothies.

Demoing the "Green Smoothie"

We then made a lemon basil salad featuring lots of fresh greens and a homemade lemon basil vinaigrette. I shared my super-simple hummus recipe and then spoke a little bit about gluten-free baking. There is so much information to share about creating gluten-free baked goods, that I need to have a workshop solely on gluten-free baking! I spent some time in the kitchen last weekend experimenting with a lemon cookie that my grandma used to bake my grandpa, sister and I. After two failed attempts at changing the recipe to be gluten-free and vegan, I am proud to say that the third time’s a charm! These are the perfect bite-sized cookies for spring.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Lemon Cookies

1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend*

¾ cups evaporated cane juice (organic sugar)

1 teas baking soda

½ teas baking powder

pinch of sea salt

1 Tbls grated lemon peel

¼ cup + 1 Tbls grapeseed oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350°f.  Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir in the lemon peel, grapeseed oil, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract.  Drop by heaping teaspoons onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

The batter is more "shortbread cookie batter" like

Bake for 9 minutes. Let rest on pan for 2 minutes and then move cookies to a baking rack to cool.

Just slide the parchment paper onto a baking rack to cool

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or for even better storage, store in a zip lock bag in the freezer and let thaw before eating.

Let me know if you were one of the workshop participants and if you’ve made any of the recipes at home. Take care and I’ll be back to recap my weekend tomorrow or Monday.