You know those pillowy soft, cakey, frosted cookies you can buy at grocery stores that are oh so good? They are almost like the top of a cupcake that got smushed into a cookie. They always come with a generous amount of frosting and sprinkles, because who doesn't love sprinkles. I had a sudden craving for these cookies, I wanted them, I needed them, I must have them, and so I veganized them. It took a lot of recipe testing, but I finally cracked the code and satisfied my craving with my new favourite treat: Vegan Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies.
...and now I almost regret it as my diet has suddenly consisted of four cookies a day. So soft, so sweet, so fluffy amazing!!!
These are so much more than just a plain old sugar cookie. They are like funfetti turned into a cookie. The cakey texture is amazing, but I also made sure they tasted great as well. The combo of lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract make for the perfect subtle, sugar cookie flavour.
I think the classic pink frosting is my favourite, but you can always change the frosting and sprinkle colours...
- Orange for Halloween or autumn.
- Green or red for Christmas, you could even sprinkle on crushed candy canes!
- Pink, blue, or yellow for baby showers.
- Classic white for a wedding.
- Gold for New Years.
- Pink or red for valentines day.
You get the idea. These cookies are perfect all year round and for any occasion.
Vegan Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies do require a few steps to make them, but it's actually pretty easy. The fussiest part is spooning out the cookie dough which can be a little sticky. The cookies are of course, great fresh, but they also freeze well making them a great make-ahead treat. (I now have a freezer full of them).
To make Vegan Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies:
In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the vegan butter and white sugar together until fluffy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and combine. The mixture won't combine well and will look curdled and that's totally fine. (I didn't show a picture of that because it's not pretty)!
Now add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet, and mix together. The dough will be very soft, like a thick cake batter.
You can either use the cookie batter right away or you can let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Chilling makes it a little easier to work with but does not affect the final cookie. Lightly spray a cookie scoop or large spoon with oil, and scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and drop it onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat to fill your tray, evenly spacing the cookies. Wet your fingers so they don't stick to the cookies, then lightly pat the balls down into flatter shapes.
Bake 11 - 14 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom. Let cool completely before frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. If needed add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time until desired frosting consistency is reached. Mix in food colour if desired. I divided my frosting into two to make multiple colours.
I like the combination of vegetable shortening and vegan butter for the best frosting that holds well and tastes great. If you prefer you can use all vegan butter, but note that it will make the frosting softer, so you may need less plant-based milk, and be sure to store the cookies in a cool place.
To Assemble the Cookies:
Smear frosting on the cooled cookies then decorate with sprinkles if desired. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, for about 1 week in the fridge, or they also freeze well.
And there you have it! Soft, fluffy, slightly chewy and cake-y, and oh-so-sweet! My Vegan Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies are the perfect vegan treat for whenever your sweet tooth comes calling. Be sure to share!
Common Questions:
Can I freeze sugar cookies?
These cookies freeze perfectly. Just be sure to wait until they have cooled and then place them in an air-tight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. If stored properly, they should last for about 3 months in your freezer.
Do I need to refrigerate sugar cookies?
It is not recommended to refrigerate these cookies as it will dry them out fairly quickly. Instead, keep them out at room temperature in an air-tight container tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. If kept as such, they should last for about a week. If you want to keep them longer, follow the freezing instructions above.
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Vegan Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
Servings: cookies (give or take)
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Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups vegan butter, cold (I used Earth Balance Orignal Buttery Spread)
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
For the frosting:
- ½ cup vegan butter, cold (I used Earth Balance Orignal Buttery Spread)
- ½ cup vegetable shortening, *see notes
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 4 tablespoons plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- Vegan Food Coloring, (optional)
- sprinkles, (optional)
Instructions
- To make the cookies: preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate large bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the vegan butter and white sugar together until fluffy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and combine. The mixture won't combine well and will look curdled and that's totally fine. Now add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet, and mix together. The dough will be very soft, like a thick cake batter.
- You can either use the cookie batter right away or you can let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Chilling makes it a little easier to work with but does not affect the final cookie. Lightly spray a cookie scoop or large spoon with oil, and scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and drop it onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat to fill your tray, evenly spacing the cookies. Wet your fingers so they don't stick to the cookies, then lightly pat the balls down into flatter shapes.
- Bake 11 - 14 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom. Let cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting: using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. If needed add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time until desired frosting consistency is reached. Mix in food colour if desired.
- To assemble the cookies: smear frosting on the cooled cookies then decorate with sprinkles if desired. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, for about 1 week in the fridge, or they also freeze well.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Bon apptegan!
Sam.
Tina H says
These were amazing. I am new to dairy free baking due to an allergy. My son loved them. The only thing he asked for his birthday and these were awesome.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Amazing! I am so happy they were enjoyed! Thank you for the review Tina 🙂
Sydney says
The frosting recipe is fine. The cookie recipe however is not. Such a waste. I cook and bake from scratch often. Not my first vegan baking attempt, and i usually like his blog as well, but this cookie recipe spread like a puddle when baking despite following the recipe exactly. Should have chosen a different recipe. Super, super disappointed.
Megan says
The same thing happened to me! I think the milk could be omitted altogether. I cannot believe how flat these turned out.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Megan and Sydney, Thank you for your feedback! I’m sorry to hear about the issues with the cookies. It sounds like the spread might be caused by the vegan butter you used. Some brands can be a bit more liquid than others, which can affect the consistency of the dough. For a firmer dough, I recommend using a firmer vegan butter, I always use Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread, which gives me consistent results. Another potential factor could be the oven temperature – it's important to ensure the oven is fully preheated to 350°F (180°C) before baking to prevent spreading. You could also skip lightly patting the cookie dough balls to help them spread less. I hope this helps!
LM says
These cookies are so fun and delicious! We even made heart shaped cookies for a Valentine party and let everyone decorate their own. They were a huge hit and everyone was surprised to learn they are plant based.