Description
These Vegan Lemon Curd Shortbread Cookies deliver bright, zesty flavor and a buttery, crumbly texture, completely dairy-free. Perfect for afternoon tea or gifting.
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold and cubed (I prefer Earth Balance)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, solid
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2–3 tablespoons ice-cold non-dairy milk (oat or almond work beautifully)
For the Lemon Curd:
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 large lemons)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (for that gorgeous golden color)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt in a saucepan. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in vegan butter and zest. Chill.
2. Whisk flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in vegan butter and coconut oil until coarse crumbs form.
3. Add vanilla and 2 tbsp milk. Mix until dough just comes together. Add remaining milk if needed.
4. Roll dough into a log, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325°F. Slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch rounds. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Press a small well in each cookie and fill with 1/2 tsp lemon curd.
7. Bake for 20–22 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Notes
- Use chilled vegan butter for best results, room temperature makes the dough greasy.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest in the curd; it adds essential flavor and aroma.
- Let lemon curd thicken before filling cookies or it may run during baking.
- Cookies taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.
- Store in layers separated by parchment to prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan lemon shortbread, dairy-free lemon curd cookies, vegan baking