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5.0 from 12 votes

Vegan Christmas Cookies (The Easiest Holiday Sugar Cookie)

Deliciously festive vegan Christmas cookies that are buttery tasting, golden, and ready for decorating! Made with simple ingredients, Santa Claus will NEVER bring coal to your home if you hook him up with these, and at office holiday gatherings? Your coworkers will be so extremely psyched!

Prep Time
6 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Chilling Time
30 mins
Total Time
49 mins
Servings: 20 Average-size cookies
Calories: 98 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 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 vegan royal icing (1 batch)
  • Natural plant-based food colors optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. 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.
  3. Add the plant-based milk, vanilla extract, and other extracts if you are using them. Mix for another 90 seconds, until fully combined.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Use cookie cutters to create shapes. Re-roll and cut the scraps to use up all of the dough.
  8. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) gap between them.
  9. 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.
  10. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Once the cookies are fully cooled, decorate them with your prepared royal icing, or vegan buttercream.

Notes

  • 🍪 Don’t Anger Santa
  • 🍪
  • Mix the dough just until combined. Overmixing will toughen the cookies instead of leaving them tender and crisp.
  • 🧊 Ice Ice Baby!
  • 🧊
  • Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes after rolling it out. It prevents spreading and keeps those shapes sharp during baking.
  • ♻️ Flip It and Reverse It
  • ♻️
  • Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking so cookies brown evenly, especially if your oven’s got some wonky hot spots.
  • 📜 Sheet Happens
  • 📜
  • Always use parchment paper or a silicone mat. This stops sticking and ensures even baking without burnt bottoms. As a super-lazy guy, I sorta love that parchment paper makes the cleanup quite a bit easier too.
  • 👀 Look, Don’t Overcook
  • 👀
  • Check the cookies early. They should be set and slightly golden at the edges but soft in the center.
  • ❄️
  • Cool cookies completely before icing, or your designs will melt into a sad, not-adorable mess.
  • ❄️Cool Runnings

Nutrition Information

Calories 98kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 15g (5%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0.02g Sodium 114mg (5%) Potassium 14mg (0%) Fiber 0.3g (1%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 219IU (4%) Calcium 6mg (1%) Iron 0.5mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20Average-size cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 98

% 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.