Soft, vegan sugar cookies with crispy edges, for all your holiday needs. Have fun with different cookie cutters, easy icing and sprinkles of course!Â
After much trial and error, I finally have the perfect recipe for soft cut-out vegan sugar cookies. Seriously, these are the cookies of my dreams, and I think you will LOVE them!
They are easy to make and roll out. A little trick I learned is to roll the dough onto parchment paper before chilling in the refrigerator. This way, the cookie dough only needs to chill for about an hour before you can cut and bake! And you don’t have to roll out cookie dough that is crumbling everywhere. Easy peasy.
How to make perfect vegan sugar cookies:
First, make the dough, using just 1 bowl and either a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer. Your cookie dough should be similar to the texture of play dough. It will be rather crumbly in the bowl, but not dry, and it should stick together when you use your hands to roll it into a ball. Once the dough is made, break it into two balls. Place one of the doughs onto parchment paper, on a hard surface.
Roll the dough out, about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle a little flour on top so the dough doesn’t stick to your rolling pin.
Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the first rolled dough.
Repeat with the second ball of dough (I usually do this right on top of the first rolled dough). Place another piece of parchment paper on top and carefully transfer the rolled dough to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
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Remove the dough from the fridge, cut into desired shapes and bake for 8-10 minutes. They will look underdone, but firm up considerably as they cool. This is the key to soft sugar cookies. If you want them crispy, you could roll the dough thinner and cook them a bit longer, but I prefer them softer.
They will look like this when they come out of the oven. See how they don’t puff up a bunch or spread like some sugar cookie recipes do? Cookie perfection.
What’s the best way to decorate vegan sugar cookies?
So, let me tell you a little secret. I am not a natural decorator of sweets! I can bake, but the actual decorating of cookies or cakes is not really my thing, so I watched several videos and almost had a panic attack while decorating the cookies for these photos. 🙂 For real, it took me HOURS…
This video was incredibly helpful. So if you want to make really pretty sugar cookies, I recommend it! The trick is to outline the cookies first with a thicker icing, then flood the inside with a thinner icing, and carefully spread it to all the corners of the cookie.
I used Wilton Bags and decorating tips for this, which I highly recommend for all your cookie and cake decorating needs.
After icing, simply grab some food coloring, if desired, sprinkles of choice and have fun! My family has a tradition of making these cookies, and we usually just slap on some icing and have fun decorating. They don’t usually look quite so pretty, but they always taste amazing!
What food coloring is vegan?
Well this is quite a complicated topic. I’ve done A LOT of research on this online. Watkins brand is for sure vegan. From what I can tell, several of Wilton brand are vegan, such as the gel based color. I found a few at my local craft store, and carefully read the ingredients before buying. If you don’t want to use food coloring, you can also make your own, or just go with white frosting.
Want more Christmas Cookies?
Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
The Best Vegan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 cup vegan butter (earth balance preferred), slightly softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but so good)
- 2-2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, divided (correctly measured)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Easy Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (can omit, but it makes the icing very shiny)
- 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- In a large bowl either using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegan butter for about 1 minute until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and light.
- Now add in the almond milk, cornstarch, vanilla and almond extract (if using). Beat on high until it is all fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add 1 cup of the flour to the wet mixture. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt on top of the flour. Mix on low speed, until just combined. Now add 1 more cup of the flour and continue to mix on low until just combined; don't over mix. The dough should feel similar to play dough when you work it in your hands, but it will look crumbly in the bowl. If it seems too wet for rolling, add another 1/4 cup of flour. You want the dough to be thick, but not dry. I always use the full 2 1/4 cups of flour. If the dough is too wet, your cookies will spread.
- Using a spatula, scoop all of the dough out of the bowl; use your hands if needed to push it all together. Divide the dough in half and roll into two balls.
- On a flat surface, add a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle a little flour on it, then add half the dough. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough, and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top. Repeat for the second ball of dough, and then stack them with parchment paper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Once the dough has been chilled, set it on the counter for 10 minutes while the oven is preheating to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut into desired shapes using a cookie cutter and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Continue re-rolling the dough until it is all used.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, in the middle rack of the oven, until very lightly colored on top and around the edges. They will appear underdone, but they will firm up considerably as they cool. Let them cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely before icing.
Easy Icing
- Whisk all icing ingredients in a bowl. If it seems too thick, add a little more almond milk. It should be smooth, glossy and not runny. If too runny, add more powdered sugar. You can dip the cookies in the icing, or use brushes, spoons or a squeeze bottle. See this helpful video on how to decorate sugar cookies with icing.
- *If you want really pretty cookies, first make the icing thicker, by using only 1 tablespoon of almond milk. Using a decorating tip, outline the cookies with the thicker icing. Then add a little more milk to thin it and flood the inside with icing. This way the icing doesn't spill over the cookie edges.
- Decorate with sprinkles as desired. The icing will take several hours to harden completely. The cookies will stay soft for about 5 days at room temperature.
Notes
- Try to get the earth balance sticks if you can; they are easier to bake with. Results will vary with other brands of vegan butter.Â
- Almond extract is optional but it adds a very good flavor to both the cookies and the icing, so use it if you can.
- To correctly measure flour, make sure to spoon and level by scooping the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with the back of a knife. If you don't correctly measure the flour, you can end up with way too much flour and the dough will be dry!
- If you aren't comfortable using corn syrup, you may omit it. I rarely use it, but it makes cookie icing pretty and shiny and it's just 1 tablespoon.
- Baked sugar cookies freeze well, but don't freeze them once frosted.Â
Nutrition
Hey! I made this the other day and they were a hit!! Thanks for sharingÂ
Would you be able to add cocoa powder in to make them chocolate flavoured? If so how much?Â
I haven’t tried it, but you might be able to replace 1/2 cup of the flour with cocoa powder. Glad you enjoyed them!
Followed the recipe exactly, and the cookies turned out perfect! The almond extract in the dough and the icing gave these cookies a “thumbs up” from everyone in the family. We will definitely be baking these again!
That’s so great to hear!
Would almond flour work?
Unfortunately, no. Almond flour doesn’t work the same way here, it is too moist so the cookies would be very flat and wet.
I have tried too many vegan sugar cookie recipes to count. And this one is by far the best!!!
Thanks!!
Hello, I am making this recipe for a family gathering, and after I started making the cookie dough, the dinner was cancelled. I have the dough in the fridge right now, but could I freeze the raw dough until I need to bake?Â
Yes, you could freeze the raw dough. When ready to bake, just thaw it a bit before cutting and baking. Thanks!
Hi Nora, Thanks for the lovely recipe, I am in NZ and we don’t have the Vegan Butter you recommended. I have found although the taste is great they do spread a little,  what are your thoughts on reducing the Baking Powder to 1/4 teaspoon or omits g altogether? Would adding more Cornstarch help? I am baking the biscuits this week for my daughters 21st Birthday and would love your advice! Many thanks 🙂Â
Yes, the kind of vegan butter used will affect the recipe, but hopefully you can find something that works. 🙂 Or even coconut oil. You could reduce the baking powder I suppose, though I haven’t tested it. They might be quite flat. I would say the most important thing is to add a little more flour to the dough if it seems oily or wet. Then refrigerate as directed right before baking, that is the key to them not spreading. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for your quick reply! Added a little bit of extra flour and they have come out really well. Thank you for your help! 🙂
Hi Nora My granddaughters and I are going to make these cookies together for the first time! I couldn’t find temperature for the oven. Can you let us know. Thanks
I hope you all love them! It’s in step 6, 350 degrees. 🙂
I made this like 10 times already! It is amazing and brilliant. I do not follow exact measurements when it come to the frosting, but I use the ballpark.
I love how simple it is, yet super fun and delicious. We never have trouble finishing all of the cookies. It is a great pandemic hobbie to have!
What makes the royal icing harden like a candy? Or does it not harden? The only ingredients in it is powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, light corn syrup, and unsweetened almond milk.
Just wondering if these cookies will be stackable, or individually wrapped in goodie bags without ruining the design?
It’s just the combination, it’s a pretty basic sugar cookie icing, glossy and hard once it dries. Yes, they will be stackable once you give them time to dry, or you can individually wrap them, it won’t ruin the design. Hope that helps!
Fantastic! I’ll be trying these out for a birthday! Thank you so much Nora! <3
Amazing recipe!!!!! I use it all the time for my non vegan friends and family, they can never tell the difference! I would absolutely recommend this recipe for anyone who would like to try vegan baking-its so easy and tasty!
Thanks so much for the comment!!
This is one amazing recipe! I will be keeping it close and making it often!Â
That’s so great to hear!!
Could you make these sugar cookies in a pan spread out in a large triangle (for the base of a flag for Fourth of July dessert)?
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I haven’t done it. Sounds fun!
Very solid vegan shortbread recipe! I used 2 cups of flour and they came out great. In terms of texture and flavor, they taste just like the real thing although they’re not super sweet. I didn’t frost them though so that could be easily remedied.
Hi, I haven’t tried this recipe yet but do you think Soy milk will work just as well as almond milk?Â
Yes, I use them interchangeably.
I haven’t tried these yet but can I make them with a vegan friendly shortening?
Thanks.
Yes, that should work fine, they will taste a bit different (not buttery so much).
How would these work with gluten free flour ?Â
I have never personally tried using gf flour in this recipe, but I have received feedback that it worked.
I Have a question can I use your vegan butter recipe instead of earth balance?
I’m pretty sure it will work, but I haven’t tested it just yet. I have used it in other cookie recipes and it worked very well, so I’m pretty sure it will be fine though!
Does this frosting dry like royal icing or does it remain wet? I’d like to be able to stack the cookies. They look so good!
It dries like royal icing and the cookies can be stacked once dry.
These are great! I did some hand cut shapes and they did not spread at all.
I’m so glad!
The simplest recipe, the dough acts just like it should, and if you didn’t know they’re vegan, you wouldn’t be able to tell. My sister is vegan and loved these since they didn’t make her stomach hurt after eating them, and the rest of my family happily scarfed them down with only good comments about taste and texture. This will definitely be a go to recipe for me!
That’s so great to hear!
is miyoko vegan butter okay to use with this recipe ?
Yes, it works great.
Just tried these and they turned out great, this will definitely be a staple in our kitchen now 🙂 Funny how accurate the play dough description is.
So glad they were great!
These came out great. The almond extract really makes them sing. I am not a decorating person usually, but your icing recipe worked really well and we had a ton of fun decorating! Thanks for making this fool proof, sugar cookies usually don’t go well for me. 🙂
You’re so welcome! So glad they turned out great!
Hi there I’m in the middle of making these cookies and my dough is very dry how would I fix that?
Add just a few tablespoons of non-dairy milk until it is easy to work with. You don’t want it to be very wet either or the cookies will puff up and spread in the oven. Hope that helps!
Wow! Just made these cookies and absolutely love them! How long will decorated or undecorated cookies last for?
Thanks Shannon! So glad you love them. I would say they will last on the counter for 4-5 days, longer in the refrigerator, undecorated or decorated. They can also be frozen either way.