Try my Buttery Lemon Cookies with a steaming mug of Super U Mushroom Coffee for a healthy afternoon lift and tasty wee treat.
Craving something sweet, but don’t fancy chocolate? Or loads of extra carbohydrates? You could do a lot worse than mixing up a batch of vegan, grain-free and low-carb Buttery Lemon Cookies. And, for you lovers of frosted cookies, whip up the accompanying cardamom-butter icing. Pro tip: Be sure not to eat all the icing before the cookies cool. Easily non-vegan and full-sugar, too!
(This is a sponsored post.)
Time Flies
Gosh it’s been a while, huh? I think the last time I was here was the end of December. When things were still normal. A time we will I’m sure be referring to as BC – Before Covid.
Thank you to all who have reached out and checked that I was okay (I am). With travel, being a bit unwell, tech issues, and then all of “this”, I just felt I needed a break. I even missed my 9th anniversary of writing to you and sharing my recipes.
And you know, I’ve really missed being part of your life. Even in this small way. I’ve missed your comments and reactions to some of my crazier recipes (I’m thinking about Baingan Bharta Pasta with Burrata). I’ve missed the steadying routine of recipe writing and food snapping. And pulling together a blog post that weaves the food with what is going on around me.
Meanwhile on Instagram
For those of you who follow me on Instagram you will know that I’ve been creating and sharing recipes throughout most of the intervening time (see above). Why? Instagram is easier. A lot easier. No consideration of SEO and Lord Google either. I have almost used Instagram as our own food diary, too.
“What was that great thing we had last Wednesday?” “Oh, let me check my Instagram.”
Instagram is my food memory.
Hopefully I am back for good. Ready, fit and keen to share what’s happening in my kitchen. And in my somewhat whirling dervish of a head.
Cookies, with a side of Shroom Coffee
So, a recipe. A simple one that doesn’t require precious, covetable flour. As a side note: are you coveting your neighbours’ flour? Or at least salivating over Instagram shots of flour sacks stacked up in Insta-perfect kitchens? Never mind the sourdough, give us the flour!
So, no flour for this one. Or sugar. Or dairy. But you can absolutely use real sugar and actual dairy in a straight swap. And, although most of the shots are of cookies in the buff, do make the easy butter icing. You will want to spread it on banana bread and pound cake, too.
Before I hit you with the recipe, I just want to share a new drink with you. Now, keep an open mind for this. You’ve always trusted me, right?
Mushroom coffee. Yep, mushroom coffee! I pinky-swear all you get is a smoooooth 100 % Arabica coffee with a really compelling earthy back note. No mushroom taste. I tried it on Andrew, didn’t tell him what it was, and he gave it a happy thumbs up. He then promptly tucked it into his man bag and took it to work (yes, he still needs to go in). Smart man.
What’s so special about Mushroom Coffee?
Super U’s Mushroom Coffee is pretty much the perfect brew to boost energy, productivity and focus. It’s a really smooth blend of premium instant Arabica Coffee, Maca and dual-extracted Chaga, Cordyceps & Lion’s Mane Mushrooms. Coffee + mushrooms = to kick-start your morning x power through your afternoon.
Pros:
✓ Only 50mg of caffeine per serving. So no jitters unless you have like 5 cups on the bounce!
✓ Less than half the amount of caffeine compared to a regular cup of coffee.
✓ 500mg of dual-extracted mushrooms per serving.
✓ Energy without the jitters or caffeine crash.
✓ Instant – just add hot water and a splash of milk, if you like.
Cons: none
Medicinal mushrooms, such as in this blend, have been well-studied for the anti-fatigue effects. They probably “mitigate fatigue through effects on the functional systems, including the muscular, cardiovascular, hormone, and immune system.” (Biomed Res Int 2017)
With things as they currently are, even though we aren’t dashing around in the same busy way as previous, mental stress is very, very tiring, isn’t it? And the temptation is to load up on sugary treats to keep us going. Perhaps try these protein-rich, no-sugar lemony butter cookies with a black cup of Shroom coffee? See how that goes for you.
What you need for Buttery Lemon Cookies
Almond Flour – if you have ground almonds or almond meal it is best to pulse in a blender or food processor to get the fineness of flour. Don’t over do it though, or you’ll get almond butter!
Erthyritol sweetener with added stevia – this type of sweetener is safe. There is no bitter aftertaste either. I like 100% Natural Erythritol by NKD Living, Natvia
and Truvia
. Try other brands if you like, but it’s best if they can be used nearly like-for-like with sugar. This is for reasons of texture more than anything. Use granulated sugar if you wish.
Butter, milk and cream cheese – vegan or dairy. Your choice. Unsalted if you can.
Lemon juice, ground cardamom and vanilla – these bring the cookies to life!
No-sugar icing sugar, such as Powdered Erythritol by NKD Living – or regular confectioners’/icing sugar
The above is for the cookies and the essential frosting.
Ready, Set, Bake
Instead of just reading, let’s get baking! So that you can easily find the no-carbohydrate products, I’ve linked them on Amazon.co.uk (above). Any purchase through these links gives me a few pennies (!) but doesn’t cost you any more. You may be able to find these products for less at your supermarket. Can’t say I’ve seen the inside of one of those in awhile :/
Check out Super U for even more natural functional superfood blends, like their fabulous Magic Matcha, Clean Greens and Lean Protein. They even have the very Instagrammable Pink Pitaya. :-)

Buttery Lemon Cookies (Low Carb)
Tangy, sweet, buttery and very low carb. These hit the sweet spot, especially with the cardamom-butter icing.
Ingredients
- 60 g vegan butter-like spread, softened or dairy butter
- 2 tbsp vegan cream cheese or dairy soft cheese
- 2 tsp vanilla extra
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom optional but fab
- 2.5 tbsp Natvia or Truvia no-carb sweetener or 2 tbsp sugar
- 100 g almond flour if almond meal, grind to powder in blender
- 2 tbsp almond milk other other plant milk or dairy milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Cardamom-Butter Icing
- 40 g vegan butter soft
- 60 g Swerve confectioner's sugar or confectioner's/icing sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp vanilla powder optional
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 140C fan/160C/300F. Line a tray with baking parchment.
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Using electric beaters or a stand mixer, beat the butter & cream cheese until fluffy.
-
Add the vanilla, cardamom and sweetener, fully mixing in.
-
Spoon in half of the almond flour and beat.
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Gradually add in the milk & lemon juice, then the remaining almond flour. The mix is stiff. You may need to do this last beat with a wooden spoon.
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Roll into 20g balls and press onto parchment lined baking sheet. I use the bottom of a pint glass to press flat (it will stick), & a bench scraper/dough scraper to transfer it easily back to the tray. I wet the glass with a damp paper towel.
-
Bake in a 140C fan/160C/300F oven for 23-25 minutes, turning tray at 12 minutes. Let cool on tray a few minutes before using a spatula to move cookies to a cooling rack.
Cardamom-Butter Icing
-
Mix the softened butter with the icing sugar and cardamom powder, plus vanilla powder if using. Refrigerate until needed. This will lightly cover the biscuits.
Recipe Notes
The nutritional values are based on the cookie being iced.
You can make double or triple of this recipe. Any extra dough can be rolled up and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, ready to bake. From the freezer, defrost to cool temperature before baking.
I use "like-for-like" sweeteners Truvia and Natvia as they behave well in this recipe. I don't know how it would be with stevia drops or pure stevia powder. Let me know if you try this recipe with stevia and how it was/what you did.
These are delicious and the butter cream icing is super special. I was very sceptical about mushroom coffee but it’s great and a lovely accompaniment to your cookies
Welcome back FTG ❤️ these look and sound so great. Love lemon flavour “sweets” xxxx
Just what we need right now….well any time really !
What a lovely recipe and those photos are sublime. I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the lemon against the dark background, really beautiful in so many ways.
Welcome back. I’ve missed your amazing library of recipes and up beat voice.
Thanks so much, Sally. I was nervous but once I started writing, it was fine xx
so good to see you! I actually started using instagram just to follow you and a few other food blogs! 😛 Wishing you the very best! P.S. I am making your ramp pesto soba noodles this week! CAN’T WAIT! (do you have a fiddlehead fern recipe? would Love one!)
Oh Juhi, that makes me so happy. I wish you could see my big smile while I’m replying here! It’s huge! Not as huge as my Lockdown hair though 😉 I really hope you enjoy the ramps soba noodles – I think I usually add some shichimi powder on top of mine! No I don’t have any fiddlehead recipes but I know people make fritters with them. Thanks so much for your cheesy grin-inducing comment, Juhi. Stay well!
Oh, it’s so nice to hear you’re ok! I’ve been worried about you, especially at the moment and, I’ve been missing your inspiring recipes. I’ve gone straight to insta and followed you and I’m looking forward to catching up on my backlog of recipes from you. Stay safe, keep cooking and carry on!
Hi Helen! I saw you pop up as an Instagram follower just this morning! Thanks for the very kind words. It’s made my morning! Which was already going pretty well and you just made it that much nicer. 🙂
Hi Kellie, so good that you’re back. I’ll reassure you that supermarkets look pretty much the same, just more hand sanitiser. Thanks for the recipe … loving the cardamon.
Thanks, Nick 🙂