Vegans rejoice! These delightfully crispy Vegan Sugar Cookies prove you don’t need animal products to enjoy a timeless classic.
Inevitably, when I adopted a plant-based diet and decided to drastically reduce my consumption of animal products, the sudden change raised a few eyebrows among friends, family, and even colleagues in the food world. Even though veganism is no longer what it was even just a decade ago (you’ll now find substitutes for just about any animal product imaginable), people couldn’t fathom how I would survive, much less continue my work as a food writer. Sure, meat is easy to replace. But how would I ever cook without butter and eggs? Was I doomed to never eat a quiche again? What would happen come the holidays? What would Christmas be without my famous platters full of buttery cookies?
Nearly three years later, I can happily say I haven’t missed out on a thing. I still cook much the same as I did before. The only difference is that I’ve learned how to adapt my beloved recipes (and just about any recipe, really) without changing their essence. My quiches now start with a base of silken tofu instead of eggs, and thank goodness there are plenty of plant-based butters that come remarkably close to the real thing. Yes, I still make my own beautifully flaky croissants on Sundays, and no one misses out on my Christmas cookies when the season rolls around.
Take these vegan sugar cookies, for example. What’s wonderful about this recipe is that it doesn’t stray far from tradition. I simply swap in vegan butter for dairy butter and use applesauce in place of eggs. The result is melt-in-the-mouth, delightfully crisp cookies that are perfect for decorating, sharing, hanging on the tree, or just eating straight off the baking tray. Does cutting out animal products mean missing out? Recipes like this prove that’s certainly not the case.
Are These Vegan Sugar Cookies Healthy?
Unfortunately, vegan does not necessarily translate to healthy. These cookies call for white flour and don’t skimp on the sugar. They are “sugar cookies,” after all! You could try using whole-wheat pastry flour and a sweetener such as monk fruit, but when it comes to holiday treats, I believe a little splurge is well deserved. Enjoy these in moderation.
Note that these cookies can be made gluten-free by replacing the flour with an equal amount of a gluten-free flour blend or almond flour.
A Note On Vegan Egg Substitutions
One of the hardest adjustments I faced when I went plant-based was replacing eggs in my cooking. More than just for scrambling or crowning avocado toast, eggs serve multiple roles in cooking. They provide structure and binding in baked goods, act as a leavening agent, help emulsify sauces like mayonnaise, and are often used to give pastries and pies a glossy finish. When it comes to baking, here is a quick cheat sheet on how to replace one egg:
- One-quarter cup applesauce
- One-quarter cup puréed silken tofu
- One-quarter cup mashed banana
- One-quarter cup pumpkin purée
- One-quarter cup plant-based yogurt
- One tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seed mixed with three tablespoons water
- Three tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of drained chickpeas)
How Do I Store Leftovers?
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigerating is not recommended, as this could render their delicate crumb soggy. The cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. In that case, flash-freeze them on a baking tray for about 1 hour before transferring them to a Ziploc bag.
Serving Suggestions
Come the holidays, there’s nothing better than sharing your creations with loved ones. Last year, I hosted a gift exchange and treated my guests to these cookies along with an assortment of delicious sweet vegan treats. Some of my favorite offerings included these chewy and aromatic Vegan Pumpkin Cookies, Vegan Peppermint Bark, and Dairy-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies. Arrange these seasonal delights neatly on a chic platter, and make sure there’s plenty of Vegan Hot Chocolate to go around!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup vegan butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- Vegan royal icing, for decorating optional
Instructions
- Cream the vegan butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Mix in the applesauce and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, and sea salt, folding to combine into a dough.
- Form the dough into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut out shapes, and transfer them to a baking sheet.
- Chill the cut cookies in the freezer while preheating the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 7 minutes, until edges are golden. Cool completely before icing.
- Decorate with vegan royal icing as desired and allow to set.
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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