These melt-in-your-mouth Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies are perfect for everyday treats or festive holiday decorating!
Some of my favorite childhood memories are dusted in flour and coated in a questionable number of sprinkles. Each holiday season, my mom would roll out a fresh batch of her famous sugar cookies as I watched—apron askew, eyes fixed to the kitchen timer. We’d cut the sugar cookies into our favorite holiday shapes, from candy canes and Christmas trees to perfect little stars. But the real fun, for me at least, came in the decorating.
My siblings and I would sit around the kitchen table with bowls of icing, leftover candy, and sprinkles galore. Those winter afternoons taught me that the real magic of baking was in the joy we shared each holiday season. This vegan sugar cookie recipe helps me recapture the magic of those cozy winter evenings.
These cookies are made with plant-based ingredients like applesauce, oat flour, and raw organic cane sugar. The vegan butter called for in this recipe helps you achieve that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of classic sugar cookies. Whether you’re looking for a special holiday treat or a delectable dessert to enjoy solo, these vegan gluten-free sugar cookies are sure to fit the bill.
Are These Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies Healthy?
When it comes to healthy snacks, sugar cookies are certainly not the first option that comes to mind. But what’s great about this recipe is that it uses a bunch of plant-based ingredients. The unsweetened applesauce is a good source of fiber, and it lends a natural sweetness to this dish without adding an exorbitant number of calories. The oat flour in this recipe also contributes plenty of fiber as well as nutrients like magnesium and iron. If you would like to decrease the amount of sugar in these cookies, you can also consider a sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener or erythritol.
Sprinkle With Style—Tips For Picture-Perfect Cookies
Whether you’re planning a kid-friendly decorating session or just looking for some general decorating guidance, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s go over some tips and tricks to elevate your next cookie canvas. First, it’s important to let your cookies cool completely before you begin decorating them. This helps ensure that the icing doesn’t melt and slide right off your cookies. Once your cookies are cool, go ahead and grab your icing of choice. You can spoon the icing directly onto your cookies, but I like to use DIY piping bags to get those small details just right. To make your own piping bags, simply snip a tiny corner off of a Ziploc bag filled with icing. After this, it’s time to get creative! Experiment with different designs, patterns, and colors. You can also play around with using different candies for that picture-perfect result. I recommend mini chocolate chips, colored sugar, mini candy canes, and jellybeans or gumdrops. There’s no right way to decorate these vegan gluten-free sugar cookies, so feel free to play around with different decorations of your choosing.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
If you have any leftover vegan gluten-free sugar cookies, first make sure they’ve had a chance to cool to room temperature. After that, place the leftover cookies in an airtight container. You can store them in this container for up to 4 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge. If you prefer, you can also store these in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
In my opinion, no cookies are really complete unless they come with a glass of milk. For a vegan milk option, why not whip up a batch of oat milk? If you’re looking for a hot drink to accompany your cookies, this Chai Latte or this Pumpkin Spice Latte are both excellent options. You may also be preparing these vegan gluten-free sugar cookies as part of a special occasion dessert platter. Desserts that pair well with these cookies may include Vegan Peppermint Bark, Chocolate Tarts, or Fruit Kabobs.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter at room temperature
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons raw organic cane sugar divided
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and 1/3 cup of sugar until well combined. Add in the applesauce, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until well mixed.
- Add all the remaining ingredients into the bowl and stir until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes so the dough is easier to work with.
- Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on a plate and roll the cookies into lightly heaping 1-tablespoon balls. Roll your formed balls through the sugar and then place them on then prepared pan, pressing them down just slightly.
- Bake until the edges are a touch golden brown and the tops feel set (they firm up a lot once cooled!) about 10-11 minutes. Let cool on the pan complete
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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