Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies

These cookies are lightly lemony and delicious with a cup of tea.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup coconut oil
1 banana (mashed)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Zest of 2 large lemons
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Using a mixer, beat together coconut oil, banana, and sugar until smooth.
3. Add lemon zest, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until combined. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.
4. Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets.  The cookies won’t spread on their own, so smoosh them slightly with your fingers.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies have set.

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Not vegan, but designed to go on top of vegan cupcakes.  I have issues.  

I made this recipe (based on my sister's Cream Cheese Frosting recipe) to put on top of my cranberry-orange cupcakes.  I topped the whole shebang** with a sugared cranberry slice, just for that little extra touch.

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

6 tbsp butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

Preparation

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy. Add confectioner's sugar. Beat until creamy. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. 

** IMPORTANT NOTE! "Shebang" is in my spell check's dictionary.  That is all.

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