Lemon Gingerbread Cookies (Vegan, Oil-Free, and Gluten-Free)

Christmas time is the perfect time to bake holiday cookies. Not just any cookie, but Lemon Gingerbread cookies! They are deliciously spiced with a touch of lemon, crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside. The ingredients are simple and healthy. These cookies are easy to make, fun to decorate, and fun to eat! The perfect cookie, perfect for spreading some holiday cheer!

Go ahead, grab the kiddos and let them make these fun and festive cookies. These cookies will be the best they will have ever tasted and will become their favorite holiday cookie!

Watch “How To” Video:

Lemon Gingerbread Cookies

Perfectly spiced Gingerbread cookies with a hint of Lemon. Simple ingredients, easy and fun to make. Perfect for the holidays!
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 22 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (Quick Oats will work too)
  • ¾ cup Raw Walnuts
  • ¼ cup Coconut Flakes, unsweetened
  • 5 large Medjool Dates pitted and cut into ⅛ pieces
  • ½ tsp Ground Ginger
  • ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 pinch Ground Cloves
  • ½ lemon Zest

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • tsp Applesauce (or Unsweetened Plant-based Milk – cooking time will vary)
  • tsp Lemon Juice

Garnishment Ideas

  • Lucious Lemon Cashew Icing (recipe below)
  • Date-Sweetened Chocolate Icing (recipe below)
  • Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Morsels (or your favorite morsels)
  • Pomegranate Arils
  • Shredded Coconut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 275 °F
  • Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add all of the dry ingredients into a food processor fitted with an "S" blade. Process into a fine, crumbly flour consistency and begin to stick together.
  • Add all of the wet ingredients to the flour. Process until dough begins to clump together. Use a spatula to push the dough down from the sides. The dough should be moist, but not gooey.
  • Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper. Shape the dough into a flattened round shape. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Using a glass jar or rolling pin, press the dough flat to about 1/8" in thickness.
  • Remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Using your cookie shape cutter of choice cut out the cookies. Then using a butter knife, lift the dough and place each cookie onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Reshape the leftover dough into a flattened round shape, flatten, and cut out cookies. Repeat until all dough has been used.
  • Bake the cookies in the oven for 12 minutes (if applesauce was used in the dough) or 10 minutes (if milk was used). Remove the cookies from the oven, and gently flip the cookies over with a butter knife. Return the cookies back to the oven and allow them to cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack using a butter knife and allow them to cool for an additional 25-30 minutes. The longer the cookies cool the firmer they will get.
  • You can enjoy the cookies plain. Decorate your cookies as you wish. Enjoy!
  • The cookies will keep in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Video

Notes

If you are planning to use the cashew and the chocolate icing, prepare them in advance and store the icing in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to icing the cookies.  Both icings will keep in a tightly sealed jar for several weeks in the fridge.
Keyword Gingerbread Cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Luscious Creamy Cashew Icing (Dairy-free)

This creamy, decadent cashew icing is full of the luscious flavor of cream cheese without dairy. Perfect to drizzle on your favorite cupcake, cookies, fruit, or whatever your sweet tooth desires!
Prep Time 5 mins
Soak Time 15 mins
Course Condiment, Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup hot water
  • ½ cup Raw Cashews
  • tsp Lemon Juice
  • Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • Tbsp Plant-based Milk, unsweetened
  • ¼ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions
 

  • Allow the cashews to soak in hot water for at least 15 minutes. Drain the cashews. Transfer the soaked cashews to a blender.
  • Add all of the remaining ingredients to the blender with the soaked cashews. Blend until smooth. Transfer the cream to a glass container. Place in the refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes to cool and firm up.
  • Use as desired.
  • The icing will keep in a tightly sealed glass jar for several weeks in the fridge. Enjoy!
Keyword cashews, icing, lemon
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Date-Sweetened Chocolate Glaze (Vegan)

Vegan, creamy, and sweet chocolate drizzle perfect for fruit, donuts, cakes, pies, N'ice cream, pancakes, and anything else your chocolate sweet tooth desires!
Prep Time 5 mins
Chill Time 30 mins
Course Condiment, Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Tbsp Plant-Based Milk (preferably room temperature)
  • 3 Tbsp Almond Butter (with no added oil) (or your preferred nut or seed butter)
  • 3 Tbsp Date Syrup
  • 1 Tbsp Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa (or your preferred dutched cocoa)
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions
 

  • Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to thicken.
  • Serve drizzled on anything you desire.
  • The glaze will keep in a tightly sealed glass jar for several weeks in the fridge.
    Enjoy!
Keyword Chocolate, drizzle, glaze
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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