Easy Vegan Sugar Cookies

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Indulge in the delightful simplicity of these easy vegan sugar cookies. Made with simple ingredients and no downtime as there is no need to chill the dough, they are a breeze to make. In just one bowl and under 30 minutes, you can create the perfect vegan cut-out sugar cookies that will be a family favorite!

A stack of heart shaped vegan sugar cookies stacked with pink frosting on a white background.

Let’s talk sugar cookies for a minute. Our family has specific feelings about sugar cookies and how they should taste. Some people like them thick, some thin, some hard, some soft. I fall in the soft and thick category.

If you're looking for some different types of sugar cookies, like one's you don't even have to roll out, try these vegan swig sugar cookies, or if you want a fun chocolate twist on a sugar cookie, try my vegan chocolate sugar cookies.

They are perfect for any holiday, whether Valentine's Day, Halloween, baby showers, birthday parties, or Christmas cookies; these will check the box.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Vegan Sugar Cookies
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQS
Best Easy Vegan Sugar Cookies

Why you'll love this recipe

It makes the best soft vegan sugar cookies.
You need no chill time. You bake it right away.
These are no spread- they puff up a little bit but remain in shape.
It makes perfect cut-out cookies
It uses basic ingredients- you likely already have them on hand.
Nut-free as long as you use no-nut non-dairy milk.
This recipe cuts in half perfectly if you want a small batch.
They are tasty and thick.

Ingredients and Substitutions

A photo of the ingredients that go into the sugar cookie recipe on a white background with black wording.

Vegan butter softened (at room temperature)- You can use whichever vegan butter is your favorite. Country Crock or Earth Balance is what I use most often.
White sugar- you could use brown sugar if you were in a pinch, but the texture, color, and flavor will be a bit off. I would stick to white sugar if you can.
Non-dairy milk- oat, soy, almond milk- whatever your favorite non-dairy milk will work well in this recipe.
Pure vanilla extract- is always best, but you can use imitation or a tiny bit of almond extract alongside the vanilla for a different flavor spin.
All-purpose flour- This works best for this sugar cookie recipe, but I have had readers use all-purpose gluten-free flour, which seemed to do well; use it in a 1:1 ratio.

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient and quantity information.

How to Make Vegan Sugar Cookies

a brown cookie sheet with a red and brown silpat on top.

Step 1- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cookie sheet by placing a Silpat on it or greasing it.

A glass bowl with vegan butter and sugar creamed together.

Step 2- If you're using a stand mixer, use the mixer bowl. If you're using a hand mixer, grab a large bowl. Place your sugar and vegan butter and cream until smooth.

Vegan butter and sugar creamed in a glass bowl with the wet ingredients mixed in.

Step 3- Add the remaining wet ingredients, vanilla extract, and non-dairy milk, and stir until combined.

Adding the dry ingredients to the glass bowl.

Step 4- Next, add your dry ingredients; baking powder stir, and then add the 3 cups of flour and mix until smooth. This shouldn't be a sticky dough.

cookie dough rolled out on a silpat with a layer of plastic wrap over it.

Step 5- Take a Silpat or lightly flour your flat surface area to work in. You can also use a piece of parchment paper for a work surface. Place a chunk of the cookie dough on the prepared surface. Take a decent-sized piece of plastic wrap and place it over your dough; now you're ready to roll the dough.

cookie dough rolled out flat on a silpat with hearts cut out with a heart cookie cutter.

Step 6- Grab your rolling pin and roll the dough out to your desired thickness; I like my sugar cookies a little bit thicker (at least ¼ inch thick). Cut them out with your desired cookie cutters and use a metal spatula to move them to a Silpat or greased prepared baking sheet. Be careful when moving them; you don't want to lose shape. The thicker they are, the easier they will be to move.

Repeat the steps with the remaining cookie dough.

Step 7- Cook for 6-9 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie. The tops of the cookies may not look completely done, but the bottom will be. Do not overbake. These should be a soft sugar cookie.

Step 8- Let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing it to a cooling rack. If you try to move them too quickly, they will break.

Let them cool fully before your frost them. If you want a cooking icing that hardens try my vegan royal icing to use, I have the perfect recipe. If you want to switch it up with some vegan chocolate frosting or your favorite vegan vanilla buttercream- whatever sounds best to you.

Expert Tips

Roll the dough out a little thicker to make less delicate and more decoratable sugar cookies. If you want to roll them thin, just realize they don't transfer well and you will need to lessen the bake time.
Do NOT overbake them. They will look underdone but continue to bake on the cookie sheet. If you like crispy sugar cookies, you can bake them longer, but I'm personally in the soft cookie camp.
Roll the sugar cookie dough out with plastic wrap on the top and Silpat on the bottom, just for ease of rolling. This will make it so the sugar cookie dough doesn't stick to your rolling pin.

Recipe FAQS

How do you store sugar cookies?

Let these cool completely before storing them. These are best stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. If you are storing them frosted, you'll want to take pieces of parchment paper and separate the frosted cookies before layering them. These will last for about 5 days outside of the freezer.

Can I freeze sugar cookies?

I have frozen them frosted and unfrosted; both work out just fine. If they are frosted, first freeze them in a single layer, then once they are frozen, you can stack them in a sealed container or a gallon freezer bag. These will freeze well for about three months.

Can I make these delicious cookies gluten-free?

Yes, you can. If you sub a good all-purpose gluten-free flour, it should do the trick.

How do you dethaw vegan cookies after being frozen?

Easy, just put them on a plate uncovered and let them come to room temperature. Once they are to room temperature, go ahead and cover them if you won't be eating them for a while.

Is it better to cut sugar cookies before or after baking?

You should always cut your sugar cookies before baking them. After they bake it'll be too hard to get a clean cut, and you'll end up wasting a lot of the cookie.

A pink heart sugar cookie on a cooling rack close up photo.

Check out these awesome vegan Christmas cookies...

If you loved this recipe, then give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment! I love to chat with you all. Please feel free to share on social media and tag #courtneyshomestead. I would love to see you over on Instagram or Facebook.

Best Easy Vegan Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies are so easy to make, they require no chilling, are soft and taste delicious!

4.96 from 50 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 6

Total Time: 16

Servings: cookies, depending on size

Calories: 76kcal

Author: Courtney Hunter

Ingredients

▢ 2 sticks 227 grams Vegan butter softened
▢ 1 cup white sugar 201 grams
▢ 4 tablespoons Oatmilk 56.7 grams ( almond, soy, whatever alternative milk)
▢ 1 tablespoons vanilla extract 3 grams
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 grams
▢ 3 cups all purpose flour 426 grams

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a cookie sheet and place a silpat, parchment paper or grease it and set it aside.
Get your stand mixer or hand mixer. Cream your sugar and vegan butter until smooth. Add the vanilla, and non dairy milk, stir. Next, add your baking powder stir, add the 3 cups of flour and mix until smooth.
Take a Silpat or lightly flour your work surface. Take a chunk of dough and place it on the prepared surface. Take a decent-sized piece of plastic wrap and place it over your dough, now you're ready to roll. Roll the dough out to your desired thickness (¼ inch), I like my sugar cookies a little bit thicker. Cut them out with your desired cookie cutter and use a metal spatula to move them to a Silpat or greased cookie sheet.
Cook for 6-9 minutes depending on the size of your cookie. Do not overbake. These should be soft. Let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool. Repeat step 3 to finish the remaining dough.

Notes

Storing- Store in a sealed container on the counter for up to 5 days.

Freeze- If they are frosted, first freeze them in a single layer, then once they are frozen, you can stack them in a sealed container or a gallon freezer bag. These will freeze well for about three months.

Substitutions

For Gluten-Free use an all purpose gluten-free flour in a 1:1 ratio.
This recipe halves perfectly.

Expert tips

Roll dough thicker for sturdier, easier-to-decorate sugar cookies. If rolling thin, note that they may not transfer well, and reduce bake time.
Avoid overbaking; cookies may seem underdone but continue baking on the sheet. Adjust baking time for desired crispiness or follow recommended time for soft cookies.
Use plastic wrap on top of dough and a non-stick liner like Silpat underneath for smoother rolling and to prevent sticking to the rolling pin.

Nutrition

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Comments

4.96 from 50 votes (35 ratings without comment)