Vegan Christmas Cookies (The Easiest Holiday Sugar Cookie)
User Reviews
5
Vegan Christmas Cookies (The Easiest Holiday Sugar Cookie)
Description
Vegan Christmas Cookies (The Easiest Holiday Sugar Cookie) use room-temperature vegan butter creamed with sugar and cornstarch to create a light but tender dough. Plant-based milk and various extracts such as vanilla, almond, or anise add subtle festive flavors. Leavening with baking powder and soda balances texture for cookie stability without toughness.
After combining dry and wet ingredients to form the dough, chilling it prevents spreading during baking, helping maintain cookie shapes. Rolling the dough thinner results in crisper cookies, while thicker rolling produces softer centers. Baking on parchment or silicone mats ensures even heat distribution and easy cleanup.
The cookies brown slightly at the edges but remain soft inside, providing a versatile base for decorating with vegan royal icing and natural colorings. They should be fully cooled before icing to preserve the designs. Rotating pans midway promotes even baking, and avoiding overmixing protects a tender crumb.
Following these guidelines produces consistent, festive vegan sugar cookies suitable for holiday celebrations and decorating projects.
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons plant-based milk unsweetened
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract optional
- ½ teaspoon anise extract optional for Italian bakery flavor
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups royal icing 1 batch, vegan
- Food Coloring optional, natural plant-based
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Either in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter, cornstarch, and sugar together until mostly smooth and fluffy.
- Add the plant-based milk, vanilla extract, and other extracts if you are using them. Mix for another 90 seconds, until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift, or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Optionally, for neater cookies that don’t spread as much, chill the dough in a sealed container for at least 30 minutes before rolling it.
- On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to ⅛" (3 mm.) for thinner, crispier cookies, or ¼" (6 mm.) for thicker, softer cookies. Sprinkle flour lightly over the top of the dough and on your rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- Use cookie cutters to create shapes. Re-roll and cut the scraps to use up all of the dough.
- Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) gap between them.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of your cookies) at 350°F (175°C), or until the edges are just starting to turn golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, decorate them with your prepared royal icing, or vegan buttercream.
Notes
- Mix the dough only until combined to avoid tough cookies and maintain a tender texture.
- Chill rolled dough for at least 20 minutes to prevent spreading and keep cookie shapes defined.
- Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even browning, especially with uneven oven heat.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
- Watch the cookies closely during baking; edges should be golden while centers remain soft.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before applying icing to keep decorations crisp and intact.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20Average-size cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 98 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 98kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Sodium | 114mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 14mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 219IU | 4% |
| Calcium | 6mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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