These soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth vegan coconut cookies are bursting with lemon and coconut flavors. The best thing? They are very quick and easy to make, and also refined sugar-free and paleo. See the video below!
Hey you, do you want to know the secret to creating edible sunshine and good mood right in your kitchen? 'Cause I might have found just that with these vegan lemon and coconut cookies!
Spring officially starts tomorrow, on March 20, in the Northern Hemisphere, but it doesn't mean that the sun is shining already and you're ready to shed a few layers of clothes.
Some of you even still have snow! As for me, it's the beginning of Autumn here in Sydney and it's been pouring rain pretty much non stop for the last two weeks (the tropical kind!).
Yep, I'm sure we could use a dose of sun in our kitchen and in our lives ☀
These lemon-kissed vegan coconut cookies are naturally sweetened and paleo-approved!
Lemon-flavored treats instantly evoke Spring and Summer to me. They're fresh, delicious and I love them!
Although I still consider them a treat, these eggless coconut cookies are made with clean, wholesome, healthy ingredients and you can enjoy them in moderation without guilt!
These soft vegan coconut cookies are only sweetened with natural sugar (maple syrup). In addition, they're dairy free and grain free which makes them not only vegan but also paleo friendly.
Dietary restrictions aside, these soft coconut cookies are just really good! How else would I explain that I've made several batches of these lemon coconut treats already and I still get enough!
Don't expect crisp cookies as these vegan coconut cookies are really on the soft side. They almost melt in your mouth!
Enjoy!!
If you tried these soft vegan lemon coconut cookies, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!
Lemon and Coconut Soft Cookies {Paleo + Vegan}
These soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth cookies are bursting with lemon and coconut flavors. They are very easy to make and come together quickly. They are also refined sugar-free, paleo and vegan. Hooray for delicious healthy cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cashews
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325F / 160C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place the cashews in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, baking soda, lemon rind, and lemon juice and process until the mixture is well combined and comes together to form a ball.
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Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls (I used a cookie/ice cream scoop for that), flatten slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake for 14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the parchment paper to a wire rack to cool (they will be too fragile to pick up when still hot). Serve.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
They will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week (they will soften very quickly but will still be super yum).
Recipe from Donna Hay's "Fresh + Light" Issue #7
Elizabeth
I baked these cookies last night and they are wonderful!!! Since ovens vary, I upped the temp to 350 and baked a couple of minutes longer. I did not flatten the dough so they were like a drop cookie and held their shape.
I also added the juice of one large lemon to increase the intensity and they are still mild tasting.
Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe. I am a cookie person and this is the first Paleo cookie recipe I have truly enjoyed. Making another batch today.
Marie
I'm so glad to hear that Elizabeth! They're one of my favorite cookies, paleo or not 🙂
Kim
I made these for my daughter, who just recently went from vegetarian to vegan. They were a hit. She asked me to bake her more. Thank you for the recipe.
Marie
Aww I'm super happy to hear that Kim! 🙂
Juwairiyia
Hello thank you for sharing thes look absolutely delicious,, however, I am unfortunately allergic to cashews so I was wondering if you have an alternative that I can use instead which will work just as well? X
Marie
Hey there! Sorry to hear about your allergy! I think blanched almonds would work too but they're not as "tasteless" as cashews so your cookies might have a light almond taste (which could be nice too!). Let me know if you do try them with almonds! 🙂
Christine
Can you tell me what kind of cashews please? Raw? Roasted and salted?
I LOVE lemon and coconut so I can’t wait to make these!
Marie
Raw cashews! Hope you'll love these cookies Christine 🙂
Linh
I like
Raj
I followed the recipe, except one step: I put everything in a blender (except baking soda). For some reason, the cookies are not holding their structure when picked up, even after cooling for an hour. They taste delicious but are extremely soft. Anything I might have done wrong?
Marie
A few things come to mind: did you add the baking soda to the batter? how long did you cook your cookies and at which temperature? It might be that you didn't cook them long enough (every oven is different so maybe yours wasn't hot enough?)
Denisa
But this recipe can be made raw vegan as well,right? Some of these balls can be no-baked made, i would put honey instead of maple syrup.
Marie
I think the dough would be a bit too runny to make balls. I would add more coconut and cashews. You can use honey but they won't be vegan anymore.
Cassie Levy
I know this was posted some time ago but I made these over the weekend and they were very well received, I absolutely loved them! we have a lemon tree so I didn't even need to head to the store to buy anything. Came out just like the pictures 🙂
Marie
So happy to hear Cassie! And I'm so jealous of your lemon tree!!
Soo yan
Hi Marie, do you think I could use coconut flour for this? Thank you!
Marie
Hi Soo! Yes, I think this could work. You can use coconut flour instead, however, due to the smaller fat content coconut flour will give you a slightly drier texture. Hope this helps
CJess
If I am allergic to nuts, can I make them without the cashews?
Marie
The cashews are an essential part of this recipe, I would look for another one completely. Sorry!
Laura Kagan
Sounds delicious! Would I use sweetened or unsweetened coconut? I plan on using cashew flour.
Marie
Unsweetened coconut! Let me know how it goes with the cashew flour 🙂