This is the only recipe for Vegan Sugar Cookies you’ll ever need! Easy to make and with soft, melt-in-your-mouth bites, these perfect cookies are almost as much fun to eat as they are to decorate with vegan icing and sprinkles.
More sugar cookie-themed desserts you’ll love: Vegan Lofthouse Cookies, Vegan Sugar Cookie Bars and Chocolate Sugar Cookies!
My Vegan Sugar Cookies are a holiday staple and for good reason! These cookies are soft and buttery with delicate flavors and elaborate icing decoration. My family and I have a ton of fun every holiday season cutting them out with different cookie cutters and playing around with the easy vegan icing and sprinkles!
They’re truly the vegan Christmas cookies of my dreams not only because they’re too sweet and delicious to resist, but also because they’re easy to make. The cookie dough comes together in a pinch and stays soft from beginning to end. Say goodbye to dry and crumbly cookies!
Saving the best for last, the easy vegan icing in this vegan sugar cookie recipe is as shimmery and sweet as traditional royal icing. Customize it with as much food coloring as you like, then pipe it onto the cookies. Just like me and my family, I know you’ll have a ton of fun and make new memories with all of the fun decorations you like.
Why these are the best vegan frosted sugar cookies
- The ultimate vegan Christmas cookie recipe – Just like classic sugar cookies, my vegan sugar cookies are delicate, soft, and a must-have treat for the holiday season. Plus, they keep their shape in the oven.
- Fun to decorate with icing – Make the easy royal icing dupe, add food coloring, and pipe it onto the cookies to make each one more eye-catching than the last.
- Easy to make – This vegan sugar cookies recipe comes together easily using less than 10 ingredients!
- 200+ 5-star ratings! It’s official–these cookies are a hit! Here’s what my readers have been saying…
“I absolutely LOVE this recipe & have made it again & again & again. The cookies are so buttery & delicious, almost like a shortbread, but better!” – Julianne
“I’ve made this recipe now for two years – Holiday cookies, Halloween cookies, Easter cookies … you name it. Perfect. It’s the best Vegan sugar cookie adaptation I’ve found. THANK YOU NORA! Huge for us!” – Karin
”I’ve made these a few years in a row now and they’re so soft and delicious every time! Best sugar cookie ever!” – Sarah
How to make vegan sugar cookies
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy and smooth. Beat in the sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Next, mix in the plant milk, cornstarch, vanilla, and almond extract until combined.
Slowly mix 1 cup of flour along with the baking powder and salt into the wet ingredients. Add 1 more cup of flour and continue to mix until the dough feels like play dough in your hands (it will still look crumbly).
If the dough feels too wet to roll, mix in another 1/4 cup of flour. I always end up using the full 2 1/4 cups of flour.
Scoop the dough out of the bowl and push it together with your hands. Divide it into two balls.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface and sprinkle a little flour on top. Add one dough ball to the parchment paper, sprinkle some flour on top, and roll it out with a rolling pin to ¼-inch thickness. Cover with another sheet of parchment on top.
Repeat this step with the second ball of dough, then chill the flattened dough in the fridge.
After chilling, use your favorite cookie cutters to cut fun shapes out of the sugar cookie dough. Lay the cookies onto the lined baking sheets.
Continue re-rolling the scrap dough and cutting it into shapes! Nothing goes to waste here.
Bake the cookies until they’re just starting to turn golden.
Set them aside to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Make sure they’re completely cool before decorating with icing.
How to decorate sugar cookies
You can either get really fancy and pipe the icing onto the cookies with a piping bag and fine tip or keep things simple by spreading my Vegan Buttercream or another frosting on the cookies with a spatula! Below, I’ll show you how to decorate the prettiest sugar cookies:
- Make a thick batch of icing by only using 1 tablespoon of milk so the icing doesn’t spill over the cookie edges.
- Scoop the icing into several bowls and stir 1 to 3 drops of gel food coloring into each portion.
- Transfer the colorful sugar cookie icing to one or multiple piping bags (I used Wilton Bags) fitted with a fine tip.
- Trace the cookie edges with your icing, wait for it to set, then fill in the center with more icing. Add some sprinkles as well and have fun!
Check out this helpful video for more guidance and sugar cookie decorating tips.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, chilling is a must! If you skip this part, the sugar cookie dough will be too soft and sticky, which will make the cookies hard to work with and cause them to spread in the oven. Luckily, I found that rolling out the dough onto parchment paper is the secret to a quick chill time (about 1 hour) so you can cut the cookies and bake them as fast as possible!
Yes, I have had good results making these cookies with King Arthur’s measure for measure gluten-free flour. If you don’t use this brand, use another quality gluten-free baking flour.
My go-to food coloring brand is Watkins, which is vegan-friendly. Several Wilton brand gel food colorings are vegan, too. Always read the label carefully to ensure the brand you’re buying doesn’t contain any animal products. Or, you can try making your own vegan gel food coloring.
Absolutely! Once the dough has come together in a ball, wrap it in a layer of plastic and store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw the dough in the fridge overnight and set it on the kitchen counter for a few minutes so it can soften before you roll it flat.
Place the leftover vegan sugar cookies in an airtight container (or gift bags if you’re gifting them for the holidays) and store them at room temperature for 2 or 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days. The baked and unfrosted cookies freeze well for about 3 months, too.
Want more vegan Christmas cookies?
- Ginger Crinkle Cookies or Vegan Ginger Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Vegan Snowball Cookies
The Best Vegan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 cup vegan butter, slightly softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk soy, almond or oat milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional, but good
- 2-2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, divided
- 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 plant 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 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 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 plant 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 vegan butter sticks if you can; they are easier to bake with. I always use salted vegan butter; if you use unsalted, add a pinch more of salt. Any brand will work, though Miyoko’s is my favorite in terms of flavor.
- 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. You can also freeze the dough.
Do you salted or unsalted Earth Balance? If salted should I omit the 1/2 tsp salt?
I have only used salted, however, either will work. You just might need to add a bit more salt if using unsalted. Thanks!
I was wondering if I could sub the all purpose flour for gluten free flour in this recipe?
Thank you!
I haven’t tested it myself, but a gluten free mix should work quite well! Hope this helps!
I have made this before and it was perfect – but I was wondering if it’d work if I omitted the cornstarch? 🙂
It works, but I do notice the difference. Better with cornstarch (or tapioca starch, arrowroot). It adds a soft, chewiness.
Hi
Can I sub almond milk for soy in the recipe? Thank you
Yes, that works.
How would these keep if I shipped them in a well- padded package? Would they stay moist and be ok at room temperature for a few days?
Yes, they ship quite well!
These are delicious!! I used them to make mini fruit pizzas. Such a great recipe!
What a great idea! I’m so glad you loved the cookies! Thank you for sharing your review and ideas!
Amazing!!!! You must try. I did put them in the oven for a few more minutes than it said, but it was worth it. The cookies turned out soft and fluffy, and it had an amazing flavor.
Thanks for sharing your review and comments! I’m glad you loved the sugar cookies!
I believe I successfully substituted unrefined coconut oil for the vegan butter. The cookies were delicious with a shortbread texture. Had to add about 5-8 minutes to the cook time. Super impressed with the end product considering they’re vegan. I don’t think my meat-and-potatoes spouse would have noticed had I not told him.
Thanks for sharing your comments, Laurie! I’m glad you liked the cookies!
I made them with the earth balance butter but next time could I substitute the butter with coconut oil? Other than that, this is a very good recipe. My friends ate them all up when I served them at a party.
I haven’t tried them with coconut oil but I don’t think it would work well. Coconut oil will be less stable and make the cookies flat I’m afraid.
Made these yesterday and are they ever good. Ate a few before I even decorated them so now to make them again and refrain from eating most of them. Thank you for the recipe. Did it exactly as written YUMMY
Thank you for sharing your comments, Irene! Glad you love the cookies! They are so good plain!
I really like ur sugar cookies Nora, and I was wondering if u had a vegan chocolate sugar cookies too, if not try and make one? (please)
Thanks so much! I have had several requests for chocolate sugar cookies, I will add it to my list. I don’t think it would be too hard to adjust this recipe, perhaps adding 1/2 cup cocoa for 1/2 cup of flour? I’m not sure, but I’ll test it out!
I subbed 1/2 cup cocoa for 1/2 cup flour and these cookies turned out AMAZING. My husband loved the chocolate ones and no icing was even needed! Highly recommend. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your idea and comments! I’m so glad the cookies turned out amazing!
Definitely the best vegan roll out cookies I ever made. They looked and tasted delicious.
Thanks Joanne, for sharing your wonderful review! I’m glad you love the sugar cookies!
These cookies came out perfect. They have a smooth surface, held their shape, were crunch on the outside and soft and buttery in the center! They were antastic for making my vegan daughter in law’s baby shower decorated cookies. Thank you for your recipe sharing!
How fun these were made for a baby shower! I love it! Thank you for sharing your comments, Tammy! I’m glad the sugar cookies were perfect for you!
Hello!
Can you use oat milk?
Yes. Enjoy!
These are so good! I make them big, about 3 inch circles and get 15 big cookies. They get rave reviews from everyone who tries them. Great recipe!
Those sound like wonderful and fun cookies, Kristin! Thank you for taking time to share your review!
I’m so sad. This is the first recipe of yours that didn’t work for me (and I’ve tried and loved many). I took my rolled dough out of the fridge and when I tried to separate the layers, both cracked and crumbled.
Hi Sarah! I’m sorry to hear they cookies gave you trouble. It sounds like the dough was possibly too dry. I don’t do this, but if it was sticking to the parchment paper, you could try spraying oil in between the layers. But like I said, it never sticks very much for me. Cracking and crumbling dough usually means too dry, so measure the flour carefully next time and if it seems too dry, add just a touch of almond/soy milk.
Can you use soy milk instead of almond milk?
Yes, that’s fine to do.
4 year old loves them, thanks! We used almond flour & coconut sugar, & melted butter instead of softened (only bc I didn’t read directions properly) and worked great. 🙂
I’m so glad they worked out well for you, thank you!
Would these work for spiral cookies? I want to make matcha swirl sugar cookies; could I reduce the flour by a tablespoon or two in half the dough and supplement with matcha?
I’ve never tried it, but I bet it would work yes!
So in everything I have read, refined sugar, (granulated and powdered) are not vegan. I’m not vegan but making cookies for vegans. How is this a vegan recipe?
Some white sugar is processed with animal bones, but plenty of sugar brands are perfectly vegan friendly and vegans can absolutely eat sugar. It depends on where you live in the world, but in the U.S. as long as you buy organic sugar it’s not processed with animal bones and is therefore vegan. So I just buy organic to make things easy. 🙂 You can see this article here for more information.
Can I use real butter
I believe it would work the same, yes.
These turned out very well and very tasty. I didn’t bother icing them. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks a lot for sharing your review, Jessica! Glad the cookies are delicious for you!
I made these today. Are use 2 1/4 cups of flour and it’s dry. I added two more tablespoons of almond milk. It’s still dry. What can I do?
It sounds like you scooped too much flour to begin with. You have to make sure and measure correctly to avoid this problem. I spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife. But for now, you can add more almond milk until it is rollable. But don’t make it too wet or the cookies will be flat when they bake.
I’ve made these over and over. They are absolutely perfect! I have a tough question – if one wanted to make these chocolate sugar cookies, how might one do that? I wish I had the expertise to figure this out myself!
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure, but you might be able to sub 1/4 cup of the flour with cocoa powder. But I’d have to test it to know for sure! Thank you so much.
I tried it out replacing 1/4 cup of flour with cocoa powder, and it worked like a charm! Thank you for the help!
Great to know, thank you!
Making these today! After baking how long do they stay good for?
Hope you love them! They stay good at room temperature for up to 5 days. I would keep them in a covered container though, once the icing hardens that is.
I made these cookies and my family and I all decorated them as a Valentines Day activity during this pandemic. It was so delicious!! The only substitution I made was using soy milk instead of almond milk, and it came out perfectly fine 🙂 The entire family loves these cookies and I’m definitely making them again for my sisters birthday <3
Hi Flo. What a fun activity for the family! I’m glad they turned out delicious! I appreciate you taking your time to share your kind review. Thank you!