How to Make the Perfect Vegan Sugar Cookies
American · Easy · 30 min · 24 servings
These vegan sugar cookies are soft tender and perfectly sweet with slightly crisp edges that make them completely irresistible. This fully vegan recipe uses simple plant-based swaps so you can cut them into any shape and decorate them for any occasion.
Why this recipe works
This Vegan Sugar Cookies recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 30 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 98 calories with 1g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 8 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.75 cup vegan butter softened
- 3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp almond extract
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer beat the softened vegan butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light pale and fluffy. This step is critical for the right cookie texture.
Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients
Add the almond milk vanilla extract and almond extract to the creamed butter mixture and beat again until smooth and fully combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at first but continue mixing and it will come together.
Step 3: Mix in Dry Ingredients
Add the flour baking powder and salt to the bowl and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix once the flour is added. Divide the dough in half wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Cut and Bake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to about one-quarter inch thickness and cut into desired shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are just barely golden.
Step 5: Cool and Decorate
Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with vegan royal icing or sprinkles. Decorating warm cookies will cause the icing to melt and slide off.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- vegan butter → refined coconut oil at room temperature works well though it produces a slightly crispier cookie
- almond milk → any other plant-based milk such as oat milk or soy milk in the same amount
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Skipping the chilling step and trying to roll out warm dough which causes the cookies to spread too much and lose their defined shapes during baking
- Overbaking even slightly which dries out these thin cookies quickly so pull them when the centers still look just underdone
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 98 calories, 1g protein, 14g carbs, 4g fat, 0g fiber.
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