Soft, vegan sugar cookies with crispy edges, for all your holiday needs. Have fun with different cookie cutters, easy icing and sprinkles of course!
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Hi, i know this is a vegan recipe –
Wondering if non vegan butter will work? Recipent loves dairy except eggs.
Thanks
It shouldn’t make a difference. Thanks!
Hi Nora. it is my first time making Vegan cookies for a friend of mine and she said this recipe is great. I was wondering why we cannot freeze them once iced. Have you tried to and it doesn’t taste good or falls apart? I know with royal icing using meringue powder iced cookies freeze well. I look forward to trying them!
You can freeze them, I just think they hold up better if you don’t freeze them with the icing, but they are actually fine to freeze with the icing. Hope that helps, and I hope you and your friend enjoy the cookies!
Hi, have you tried cutting out the shapes of the cookies- freezing them then baking the next day?
I haven’t tried it but I’m sure it would work fine.
2 table spoon milk didn’t work had to add more milk but other then that perfect
hey Nora, is there any way I can substitute the vegan butter? Do you think coconut oil should work?
It works okay, but the cookies may spread or puff up. Vegan butter works best.
Hi! I’m a long time (non-vegan real butter) baker making vegan sugar cookies for the first time for an event. I gave your recipe a try and fabulous! So easy and love how the cookies keep their shape. The only thing I did not like (actually detest and threw out the dough) was the Earth Balance butter. Awful fake butter taste. Of course no fault of yours. I tried the Miyoko’s sticks and wow – now that’s a sugar cookie! Everything else I followed your recipe and they were perfect. So thank you. I’m wondering have you had positive results doubling or tripling the recipe? And how long can I keep the rolled dough in the fridge before I bake it? 5 days, 3 days, a week? Thanks and looking forward to trying some of your other recipes!
Thanks so much DeAnn! I’m so glad you liked the sugar cookies. Miyoko’s is wonderful. I have doubled and tripled the recipe with no problems, as we usually make a lot around Christmas time. I think the rolled dough would be find for about 5 days. Thank you!
These were wonderful! We added orange zest to the dough and used fresh squeezed juice in place of milk for frosting. Perfection! These weren’t greasy like other vegan sugar cookies we’ve tried. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Hi Nora, My son was recently tested and we found he is allergic/ reacting to so many foods. I am trying my best to make Thanksgiving and get through the holidays and still feel like the normal yummy foods. I came across several of your recipes and so thankful♥️ Regarding your sugar cookies, he cannot have almond (almond milk and I’m assuming almond extract?) Do you think cashew milk would work? ( he also cannot have soy, oat or rice). Also, is there another extract to sub for the almond that you might suggest? Going dairy, egg, gluten free along with restricting so many fruits and veggies and even meats is proving to be quite difficult, lol.
Yes, cashew milk totally works for the cookies, and any of my other recipes that may call for almond or soy milk. You don’t need to add almond extract, they are perfectly good only using vanilla! That sounds difficult, it’s so wonderful that you are searching for yummy holiday recipes that he can enjoy. 🙂
Hey! I’ve been vegan for over seven years, am celiac, and have many food intolerances including rice and potatoes, tomatoes, etc etc etc. the list seems endless Ahahah. If you ever need help making old traditional foods that your child can eat- PLEASE don’t hesitate to get a hold of me. One. Seven. Seven. Eight. Two. Five. Five. Three. Three. Zero. Five. I am in Canada and have international texting available. Wish you guys the best!!???
Can Oat Milk be used in place of the Almond Milk?
Yes, that should work.
Hi there. I really want to make some Christmas cookies this year but they also need to be gluten free. Do you think this recipe will work with gluten free flour? Thanks!
I haven’t tried making them with gluten free flour yet, but I believe some other folks have with good results. It should work!
Hi Nora!!
First time cookie maker here. I followed your exact recipe with respect to timings and quantities. Same brand butter as well. They tasted good but the surface of the cookies came out with small bubbles and not as clean and wonderful looking as yours. Any idea what could have happened? Thanks
Hi there! Hmmm I’m not sure, I’ve never had bubbles on my cookies like that. I would make sure you are measuring everything correctly, and bake them in the center rack of your oven. I’m not really sure what else would help. Hope that helps!
Does vegan margarine work?
Yes, it should.
These are the best! I rolled them into a log and chilled and just cut them into rounds. It worked perfectly. We have a couple neighbor kids who are allergic to eggs and don’t get baked goodies, but they know who their supplier is now!
I try to avoid earth balance as much as I can, can these be made with Miyoko’s vegan butter instead? Thanks for sharing this recipe! Making some for Halloween!
Yes, Miyoko’s brand is lovely and just fine here. Enjoy!
Is there a way to fix it if you add to much flour?
Sure, you could add a little almond/soy milk, just a few tablespoons at a time until the dough is more moist, not crumbling.
Can you freeze the dough or freeze the finished unfrosted cookies with success?
Yes, either way works!
Thank you Nora <3 this recipe has a special place in my heart cause it’s my go-to for every holiday- currently making Halloween cookies!
That’s so great to hear!
These came out perfect! Not overly sweet but just the right amount. These will be my go to sugar cookies for the holidays. Thank you so much for all your delicious recipes. God bless!
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad they turned out great!
can I put food coloring in the actual dough? if so when do you recommend I put it?
Sure! I would put food coloring in once the dough is mixed, but before chilling of course. Thanks!
I would mix the food coloring in the milk before adding it to the dry ingredients so you get a perfect distribution of color 😀 gel is best because it’s less likely to mess with your dough consistency
Hello! I was wondering, what kind of food coloring did you use for the frostings to make different colors? My little girl and I can’t wait to make these for halloween! 🙂
I used something very similar to these gel colors, though the red one is not vegan. I got them at my local craft store. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Hi Nora! Can i replace the unsweetened almond milk with unsweetened soy milk?
Yes, that is fine.
Is this recipe intended to be used with salted or unsalted vegan butter? Both are available to me.
I have only used salted because only until recently has unsalted vegan butter been available. Either will work though, you just might need to add a bit more salt if using unsalted. Thanks!
This was my first time baking vegan and I didn’t have any issues except when my cookies baked, they came out bubbly? Is there a reason? Did I maybe over mix? They kept shape perfectly, 8 minutes exactly.
I’m not sure why they would be bubbly, maybe the dough got too warm before baking? Did you refrigerate the dough first? I’m glad they kept there shape, but they shouldn’t be bubbly.
This turned out amazing!!! I’ve been looking for a vegan recipe for this cookies and I think I just found the perfect one! Thank you thank you thank you!! The taste is amazing, they don’t spread and they keep the cookie cuter shape!!
You’re so welcome!
Tastes great! Hubby and kids all apporved 🙂 The dough was REALLY easy to work with. Baked mine for 8 1/2 min since I like softer sugar cookies and they still held shape great. Thank you for this recipe!!
You’re welcome!