Easy Vegan Sugar Cookies

Soft, buttery, and and oh-so-delicious—these Easy Vegan Sugar Cookies are a long time fan-favorite recipe. With simple ingredients, this classic sugar cookie dough creates the best cookies for cut-out shapes that hold perfectly in the oven. Whether you're making Christmas cookies for decorating or just craving a sweet treat, this recipe will become your go-to for every occasion. 🎄💕✨

I just LOVE these cookies. Unlike many sugar cookie recipes that look great but taste bland, these vegan sugar cookies are full of flavor and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The key is to balance the flour, vegan butter, and sugar just right in combination with both vanilla and almond extract. The result? A light, soft, sweet cookie that’s so delicious you’ll be reaching for seconds (or thirds!). With a 5-star rating from over 100 reviews, these cookies are tried, tested, and loved.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Perfect for Cut-Outs: The dough holds its shape beautifully, making it ideal for detailed cookie cutters.
• Tastes Amazing: Soft, buttery, and full of flavor, they’re as good as they look.
• Easy to Make: Just 9 pantry ingredients and a straightforward method.
• Customizable: Perfect for any holiday or occasion—Christmas, Valentine’s day, birthday parties, Halloween, or just because! Use your favorite cookie cutter shape and decorate however you like.

Common Questions

Can I Prepare the Cookie Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out.

Can I Freeze These Cookies?
Yes! These cookies freeze beautifully. You can freeze them plain or fully iced. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet or store them in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.

Can These Be Made Gluten-Free?
Absolutely! Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour 1-to-1 baking blend. Make sure to chill the dough well to help it hold its shape when rolling and cutting.

What Vegan Butter Should I Ues?
I like to use Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread (the kind in a tub) as it’s reliable for baking. Other brands will also work well—just ensure that the butter is firm when cold (not super soft like margarine) for the best result.

What Vegan Food Coloring Should I Use?
Some food coloring includes ingredients such as carmine (which is crushed bugs! ew). Be sure to use vegan-friendly food coloring. I like this one or this one.

Can I Omit the Almond Extract?
Yes! If you prefer not to use almond extract, simply replace it with an equal amount of vanilla extract. The cookies will still be delicious but with a slightly different flavor profile. Alternatively, you can experiment with other extracts like lemon, orange, or peppermint for a unique twist!

Can I Make a Roll of Cookie Dough and Slice It?
Yes, this dough works well for slice-and-bake cookies! Form the dough into a log, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours). When ready, slice into rounds about ¼ inch thick and bake as directed.

How Do I Get Perfect-Looking Icing?
Ensure your icing is nice and thick. Adding too much plant-based milk will make the icing runny and fall off the cookie. Use piping bags or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off for precise designs. For extra-white icing, I find using full-fat coconut milk as the plant-based milk makes it the brightest white (oat and soy milk tend to have a beige tone to them). Double the icing recipe if you plan to go all out with decorating and make several different colors to play with.

How To Make Vegan Sugar Cookies:

Preheat your oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Prepare the chia or flax egg: In a small bowl, mix together the ground chia or flax and warm water and set aside to thicken. Chia thickens almost instantly, while flax may take up to 10 minutes to thicken.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream the vegan butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the thickened chia or flax egg, then mix again until well combined.

Form the dough: Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and stir to form a dough. If the dough does not come together, add water 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 3 teaspoons total) until it just comes together.

Roll out the dough: Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled dough onto a large baking sheet. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes, until firm.

Cut out shapes: Once chilled, use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-roll any remaining dough and repeat until all the dough is used, chilling as needed.

Bake the cookies: Bake for 8–11 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

To make the icing: In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of plant-based milk and stir until smooth. You want the icing to be quite thick so that it holds it's shape well. If needed, add more plant-based milk 1 teaspoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.

For colored icing, divide the icing into separate bowls (if using multiple colors), and stir in a few drops of food coloring until desired colors are achieved.The icing recipe makes enough to lightly decorate the cookies. If you want to heavily decorate them (like I did), double the recipe.

Decorate the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate as desired with the prepared icing.

Storage: Store your decorated vegan sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies (with or without icing) in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Frozen cookies keep well for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Gifting: These cookies make perfect gifts! Once the icing is completely set (12–24 hours to harden fully), stack them carefully in a decorative tin or wrap them individually in cellophane bags tied with a ribbon. For a festive touch, add a personalized tag or card. Keep the cookies cool and dry during gifting to preserve their shape and freshness.

This Vegan Sugar Cookie Recipe is...

• easy to make
• oh-so-delicious
• perfect for cookie cutters

More Vegan Cookie Recipes to Try:

• Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies (Lofthouse inspired)
• Easy Vegan Gingersnap Cookies
• The BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Easy Vegan Shortbread
• Chewy Vegan Molasses Cookies

If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram. You can also pin this recipe on Pinterest to save it for later!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.

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