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. 🎄💕✨
FEATURED COMMENT:
Look no further! It took years for us to find the best vegan sugar cookie and these are them! These taste delicious and the kids enjoy decorating them. - Jennifer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Sugar Cookies
Servings: cookies (depending on the size of your cookie cutters)
PRINT
PIN
Video
COMMENT
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 tablespoons ground chia or ground flax
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, (or sub gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour blend to make them gluten-free)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup vegan butter, cold (I used Earth Balance)
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
For the icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-4 teaspoons plant-based milk, (such as coconut, oat, or soy)
- vegan food coloring, (optional)
- vegan sprinkles, (optional for decorating)
Instructions
To make the 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 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:
- Prepare 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.
Jess says
Giving 5 stars because these biscuits are delicious! But a warning- I had used unicorn, koala and bear cutters and the cookies did spread a bit. The bear was fine but the unicorn was unusable as the horn spread too much.
Emily says
Made these for Christmas, and they turned out amazing! These will definitely be made year round.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Fantastic! So many uses for them all year, that's for sure!
Heather says
Thank you for a wonderful recipe! I used ground chia seeds and the dough was nice and pliable after rolling and chilling--perfect for cookie cutters! I cooked them for a few minutes longer than instructed because they didn't seem quite done yet. Flavour was great, huge hit with the kiddos!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful! We hope you had fun making cookies. 🙂
Ron says
These cookies are amazing! Perfect for a special time to bake with the grandkids
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love them Ron!
Paige says
just sub GF 1:1 flour for amazing GF/Vegan cookies, this is my go to recipe every year as a gluten free person!
Joanne says
I will definitely try this. I also just made the gingerbread cookie recipe which came out amazing. The flavor is a blast to the taste buds.
Christiane says
So tasty! They keep their shape too. Definitely a recipe I will use often.
Mary owen says
Growing up, my mom made fruit pizza for us on special occasions. Once I developed allergies 8 years ago, I realized I could no longer eat or make it, until THIS recipe came along. It made the perfect crust and with your vegan cream cheese recipe, I made the TASTIEST fruit pizza! Thank you!!
Lyndsey says
Would this recipe work if I used an actual egg instead of using the ground flax/quinoa? I'm not vegan but do need a dairy free recipe. Thanks!
SD says
Thank you for this recipe. We love these cookies! I will double the recipe next time because the cookie cutters I use are on the bigger side, and we got around 16 cookies. We like our sugar cookies thin and crunchy, so I rolled them thinner and baked them a little longer. Also, I don't have a lot of refrigerator space, so I made a few dough balls in the bowl and refrigerated them. Only used one ball at a time and kept the rest in frig. Used a little bit of flour on the bottom piece of parchment paper when rolling them out which helped me get the cookie off a little easier. Saw someone mention cutting down a little on the almond extract as a matter of preference, and I think I'll try that as well. The icing recipe is perfect. Tried it with both canned coconut milk and flaxseed milk. Both are great for these cookies.
Sarah says
I don't want to give this a bad rating but I followed the recipe and the dough came out very soft (like the consistency of buttercream icing). I am chilling it currently hoping maybe that might help but I am thinking that if I bake it I will have a cookie puddle. What did I do wrong??
Sarah says
I wanted to update. Even after chilling the dough was still soft but much improved. I thought it was too soft to use cookie cutters. Upon cooking the dough, the cookies were delicious! So I am updating my rating to 4 stars.....just don't know why my dough was so soft but it was still delicious so I will likely be making it again. I may try a little less almond extract next time (my personal preference), maybe sub a little with lemon or orange extract....sounds yummy! Thank you for the recipe!
Kim says
So I agree with you on the consistency. Though I made this dough a second time as I forgot I had made it previously. This time I used ground chia seed, I was out of flax, and they were so much better. The cookies held up and I was able to ice them and put them in cute bags!! I happened to make them a third time yesterday, as I had forgotten I made them the first time, and used flax (only change) and again they were really soft. The dough was really soft, even after freezing. Maybe try this, the flavor didn’t change, just the consistency.
Bianca says
Maybe it's the butter? Some brands, like Becel Vegan, are extremely soft. Don't think they work for this.
I used the same brand as Sam and it worked out perfectly! Not soft at all... I could even use a stamp to write things on my cookies.
Savannah says
This has been our family go-to recipe for a few years now. Our 4th Christmas, I believe! Vegans and non-vegans in our family love them! We even use the icing recipe and love it!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy it's a fave 🙂
Alissa says
Made this recipe tonight and it turned out great. So happy I found a ‘go to’ sugar cookie recipe. I also substituted the flax/chia seeds for 3 tablespoons of Just Egg.
Lindsy says
Hello!! Can I omit the almond extract or substitute with anything? It’s the only ingredient I don’t have!
Samantha Chen says
I have used this recipe to make spiral minty Christmas cookies. Of course if using something as potent as mint, use a smaller amount and build up, but I have subbed it for only vanilla with equal success. I know you asked this 2 years ago, but I hope you see this and it helps.
Lindsy says
Thanks! I actually left it out and it was just fine! This year I have almond extract so I’ll try it with!
Paige says
I made these day before yesterday, to give some Halloween treats as gifts. I followed the recipe exactly, and they came out just perfectly. For my first batch, I just sprinkled some colored sugar on before they went in the oven, and the result was as delicious as any sugar cookies I remember from before I was vegan. I got a little braver with the next batch, and made aquafaba icing, and everyone I’ve given them as gifts to loves them. Thank you for another dependable recipe! (I was out of Earth balance, so I used Country Crock sticks made from olive oil this time, in case that helps anyone else). Happy Fall!
Lisa says
I've made these several times and they always turn out perfect. My 7 year old hates any cookies with chocolate in them, so I was looking for recipes that are chocolate free for him. We found this recipe, and now these are his FAVOURITE cookies ever!! We use dinosaur cookie cutters, and the dough holds up and keeps the Dino shapes well. I've also made these for my kids friends, and they all love them too. Kid approved! 🙂
Leigh says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Everyone loved the cookies and I was proud of how perfect they looked. I followed your cookie and glaze recipes and used a squeeze bottle for the first time to decorate. Wish I had pics to share!
Sherry says
I’ve made these a few times and they work out well- definitely recommend! Perfect for vegans and non-vegans!
Jenna says
i'm just laughing at the comment that said they tried the recipe SEVEN times and hated it. like if it didn't work the first couple times, why wouldn't you just find a new recipe?? lol
I thought they turned out good for me though.
Sandra P says
I just made these and they came out perfectly! They're delicious- aromatic and sweet, but not overly so as store-bought sometimes are. I refrigerated mine for a full 30 minutes and used the Earth balance unsalted buttery sticks (and flax, not chia). I'm also at 5k feet and needed no adjustments, if that's helpful to anyone. Mine held together well. Thank you- can't wait for your new cookbook!