I’m not a negative person, but I do often expect the worst in order to safeguard myself from less than ideal outcomes.
For example, say we’re planning to hang out with friends. I think, “This may go terribly wrong. I’ll say something stupid. I’ll spill wine on their couch. There will be lots of awkward silence. They’ll never invite us over again.”
That way, if the evening goes at all OK, it was way better than I expected! Success! It’s like some twisted way of guaranteeing a “successful outcome” in any circumstance. Aren’t I smart? (Cheeky grin.)
Does anyone else do this? Because it kind of makes me feel like some bizarre form of a control freak and I need some more people in this boat with me. Either that or send 18 dozen of these sugar cookies to help me cope, STAT.
While I’m not able to predict many (read: any) things that will happen in life, I can predict this: Make these cookies and you will fall in love.
They are the classic, quintessential sugar cookie all veganized and tender and perfect, just dying to be frosted and brought to all of your holiday gatherings. Your friends and family will forget all about the gifts and nose dive into these bad boys, guaranteed.
These cookies are simple, as always. Just 1 bowl and no fancy methods or equipment required. Just good old fashioned cookies at your fingertips in less than 1 hour.
And when it comes time to frost, get festive – naturally!
I tried my hand at DIY natural food coloring using beet juice and it worked beautifully! Look at that hot pink like WHOA.
I also tried parsley for “green” but it was less successful. Has anyone else tried beets or other foods for dying? Do share. I’d love to know.
As far as the cookies go, you can cut them into shapes or just roll them into balls that bake into perfect, beautiful, fluffy discs. I want them all.
The shapes are a little more time intensive, but definitely worth it if you really want to get into the holiday spirit. But let’s be real, when it comes time to pick which cookie(s) to eat, we choose based on size and amount of frosting (the more of both, the better).
You’re going to LOVE these cookies. They’re:
Perfectly tender
Simple to make
Not too sweet
Vanilla-infused
Amazing with frosting
& Undetectably vegan
These cookies are definitely my new go-to for holiday gifting.
What are your favorite cookies to bake during the holidays? Growing up, I tried many different kinds, but always came back to the classic sugar cookie as my favorite. You really can’t go wrong.
Friends, if you try this recipe, show us! Take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram (or your preferred social media). We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers and happy baking!
1-Bowl Vegan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance // softened* // 1 stick equals 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (plus more for topping)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree* (acts as an egg substitute // sub with unsweetened applesauce with varied results)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling into shapes)
- 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (for thickening/binding)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-2 tsp non-dairy milk
FROSTING
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (softened // 1 stick equals 1/2 cup)
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
- Splash non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer.
- Add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and beat for 1 minute.
- Set your sifter over something that will catch fall out and add dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and baking powder). Use a spoon to briefly stir, then sift over butter and sugar mixture.
- Mix until until incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Then add almond milk and mix until a soft dough is formed. Switch to a wooden spoon if it gets too thick. If it appears to wet, mix in a bit more flour.
- Cover and freeze dough for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 30-45 minutes (up to overnight).
- Five minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Scoop out heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of chilled dough and roll into balls. Alternatively, roll out between two pieces of wax paper, lightly flouring the bottom layer, remove top layer, and cut out shapes. (NOTE: For shapes, to ensure they keep their form while baking, freeze them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking.)
- Arrange cookies on a clean baking sheet 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. If you’ve rolled the dough into balls, dip a glass into cane sugar and gently smash down into a disc to help them cook more evenly.
- Bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes for (8-10 for cutout shapes // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), or very slightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Prepare frosting in the meantime.
- FOR FROSTING: Wipe/rinse your mixing bowl clean and add softened butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla (optional) and mix once more.
- Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Drizzle in a little non-dairy milk to thin. You want this frosting to be pretty thick so it will hold its shape once on the cookies, so only add a little milk and add more powdered sugar if it gets too thin.
- To add natural food coloring, finely grate a raw beet into a clean dish towel and then squeeze it over the frosting and whisk.
- Once cooled, frost cookies and top with sprinkles (optional – vegan ones can be difficult to find). Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a few days. Freeze for longer-term storage (up to several weeks).
Video
Notes
*I tested Miyokos vegan butter and Earth Balance soy-free buttery sticks. Both work, but I found Earth Balance gives them a slightly better texture.
*To speed-soften your butter, simply cut it into thin slices from the stick and it will soften much quicker.
*I have a hunch you could also use other purees, such as butternut squash, beet and banana. If you try it out, let me know! I think it would create fun color/flavor variations.
*Loosely adapted from my Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes and Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.
*For alternative frosting options, try my macadamia-coconut frosting, or cashew frosting! Adjust with whatever spices/flavors you prefer. Just try and keep it on the thicker side for icing.
*We tested these cookies with our 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend in place of all-purpose flour and it worked well! Results will vary depending on the gluten-free blend used. We also have a GF sugar cookie recipe.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Maya says
Great recipe! I made this with 3/4 coconut butter, 1/4 almond butter instead of vegan butter and whole spelt flour instead of white flour. It turned out chewy and delicious!
Sarah Barili says
Hello! I made these cookies with a couple substitutions.
1. Subbed cane sugar for brown sugar because I ran out
2. Applesauce for pumpkin puree
And I’m cooking at 6500 ft. Elevation and these cookies were delicious. They fluffed up a lot higher than the ones in the picture. I rolled them in sugar before cooking them so they are dense and chewy but a little crispy on the outside. Fantastic recipe I will be using every year for Christmas cookies! Thanks !
Ac says
I just made these. They are delicious. My daughter is recently vegan so I’ve been experimenting with cookies this Christmas. I cooked some cubes of pumpkin in the microwave then mashed them, also used coconut oil in place of vegan butter. It seemed a little chunky before baking but they taste great. Thanks!
Aimee says
Just wanted to put ‘I made this’ input on here ! I made this recipe last Christmas as is and they were so good ! Along with the gf gingerbread recipe. I only had gf flour this time around so I decided to make them with that flour and see how they turned out ! I used bobs red mill baking flour mix and followed the recipe exact otherwise and they turned out awesome ! I made them into rounds since I lost my cookie cutters in our last move, and the only think I noticed was they were flattening so after about 4 minutes in the oven I took a spoon and helped flatten them out a bit ! So for anyone wanting to make this recipe gluten free go for it it works perfectly !
Shelley says
I’ve used raspberry juice for a flavorful pink frosting. Thank you for the recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
Amira Michael says
How many eggs should have been used?
You can use 1 large egg in place of pumpkin puree!
Courtney says
Best sugar cookies ever! We will be making these again and again!
VeggieChick says
Made the dough over the weekend & baked/frosted today! So easy! (I did not roll out, simply measured 1T balls & baked). Instead of the pumpkin puree or applesauce, I simply added a 5.3 oz container of plain coconut “yogurt”. What a great dough consistency & by doing this the flavor remained true sugar cookie. (Had a container in refrigerator that was begging to be used for something). Yes, will make again – probably right after these are gone :)!
Monika says
Hi. A little bit of spirulina pdr for green?
Liz says
These turned out delicious! I am breastfeeding and have cut out dairy, but really really miss cookies! (Oreos, while dairy-free, give me and baby, ahem, digestive issues.)
I used vegetable shortening in place of vegan butter and it worked out great. I also used cinnamon apple sauce (can’t taste the cinnamon in the cookies) instead of pumpkin because it’s what I had in the pantry. I had flax milk in the fridge and added a healthy splash to the dough. The glass dipped in sugar to press the cookie dough balls down was a great idea. It imparts a nice delicate crunch to the outside of the cookies. Overall, these cookies are wonderful and I plan to make double the amount to freeze half the dough for later. Thank you so much! :)
Jenn says
If I wanted to add anise to this receipe would that make the cookie taste ok and how much would you recommend?
Brittani says
Can the icing stay out after the cookies are iced? I know wiTh other recipes if not kept refrigerated the icing melts?
Suzanne says
I’ve used turmeric to color frosting to a beautiful yellow. Hibiscus steeped in water also works for a nice pink.
Shannon says
Could I use egg replacer in this recipe instead of the pumpkin? How much?
Hi Shannon! You can use the equivalent of 1 egg of egg replacer.
Gretel says
I made these once with pumpkin as indicated on the recipe, and they were fabulous, with just the slightest taste of pumpkin. I decided to try using a mashed ripe banana this week (doubling the recipe since there was about half a cup of banana), and they are incredible – the flavor of the banana is much stronger, but the texture is just perfect. I don’t think I have ever had banana in cookies where it doesn’t end up with a weird texture. These would also be good with some mini chocolate chips in them. These cookies do not taste lacking in any way, and even my non-vegan (and VERY picky) husband commented on how good they are. Thank you so much! This is a recipe I will be using frequently.
Alice says
To also make these nut- free- what milk can I use? Want to avoid almond milk. Thanks!
Amber says
These were easy to make and taste good! I used a flax egg in place of the pumpkin and it worked great!
Jana Bedard says
HI! One thing I love about your recipes use how you add the weight in grams for ingredients where it makes sense. Will you please add the weights for these ingredients? Thank you!
Theresa "Sam" Houghton says
Just whipped up a batch of these using coconut butter instead of Earth Balance, and the dough consistency is PERFECT. I can’t wait to bake them later — I’m using the “smash with a sugared glass” method. Thanks for this great and easy recipe — so quick and easy, I was able to throw it together before church. ^_^ Fantastic way to spend a Sunday morning before Christmas. I appreciate your hard work and high-quality vegan recipes.
Heidi says
Can you make the dough in advance and freeze? And if so, how long? Thanks. Can’t wait to make these!
Hi! You can store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a few days and for longer-term storage, throw them in the freezer and they’ll be good for several weeks! Happy baking!
Gabrielle says
Can I make these with coconut oil instead of earth balance as a butter alternative? These look sooo delicious!!
Hi Gabrielle! That should work!
pulsar says
Can I use palm oil instead of vegan butter?
Hi! Under most conditions, vegetable oil may simply be used as a replacement for butter or margarine for cooking and baking, using the measurement of 1 cup butter/margarine = 3/4 cup oil. Hope this helps!
Maggy says
If you were using aquafaba would you use 1 tbsp or 3tbsp? It’s my understanding that it’s typically 1 tbsp per egg but since you used 3-4 for 1 egg would it be different? I’m sure the chick pea brine and pumpkin bake differently though
Hi Maggy! We recommend using pumpkin puree and have not tested aquafaba with this recipe and cannot say for sure. If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Lucy says
Hello, love your recipes!
Is it possible to use grams in the recipes too? I’m in the UK and find cups a less-than accurate measurement tool… ?
Many thanks!
Kathy Chandler says
Can I use EnerG egg replacer with this instead of the pumpkin puree?
Hi! We haven’t tried it, but if you do let us know how it turns out!
Renee Fly says
What did you use to dye the frosting that red color?.
Renee Fly says
What did you use to dye the frosting?
Kelly says
I made these for Halloween, and followed the recipe exactly. They are not super sweet but certainly sweet enough to eat on their own, and definitely if you add frosting. We used Wilton cookie decorating frosting and coloured sugar which I’m not sure is vegan but we aren’t, just dairy free for allergy reasons. I got exactly 20 cutouts rolling and re rolling the dough. I used powdered sugar to roll rather than flour because of the comments of unsweetness which worked well. Refrigerated the shapes for 10 mins as my freezer doesn’t fit baking sheets, Baked for 9 mins and they came out a bit puffy but kept their shape and fell a bit as they cooled. Tasted great with icing. The kids decorated them all, broke 1 or 2 because they aren’t as sturdy as a regular sugar cookie might be. A bit browner too. But such an easy and yummy recipe. I will make them again for my DF daughter (well, and all of us)!
Sarah says
I did the recipe exactly as it said, and it turned out very unsweet. Tasted like a pizza dough or something blech.
Shauna says
Do you think these would be stampable? I have a Christmas cookie stamp that I’m desperately trying to find a good vegan cookie receipe for, as my daughter is allergic to dairy.
Lili says
I’ve made these cookies at least 50 times now! They seem to act like any sugar cookie, so I would imagine they are stampable!
Kristin H. says
You have yet to fail me. I feel like you have a vegan alternative for just about…everything. This is definitely my “one stop shop” go-to for recipes and I cannot thank you enough for ALL of the goodness (and help) you provide!
Sylvia says
These are SOOOOO yummy!! I probably ate 1/3 of the dough because it wa just that good. I used applesauce instead of the pumpkin purée and I liked it, very soft and chewy which I love but might bake for a couple of extra minutes next time to see if I can get crispier edges! Thanks for the awesome recipe :)
Kolyssa says
Hello! If I use Earth Balance buttery stick for a frosting, can I leave the leftover frosted cookies in a container on the counter (room temperature)? What is your experience with the shelf life of the frosting if you don’t refrigerate it? Thanks! I’m just nervous because the EB buttery stick container says to keep it refrigerated. But it doesn’t say how long it can be left out when used in frostings. I can’t seem to find this info anywhere.
Lauren says
Made with kids last night, they couldn’t help bit grab tiny handfuls of dough when we finished mixing. Added my usual scoop of chia and flax seeds. Very soft and chewy. Note for those not using icing, not a very sweet cookie (which we liked) on its own.
Thank you! First dairy free sugar cookie my son loved!
Linda Maddocks says
Could you use a ground flax seed vegan egg instead of pumpkin puree?
Tod says
Vegan? What’s that
Claudia says
Tried these today for V-Day! They were delicious. They remind me a bit of snickerdoodle cookies (double yum)!! I am not vegan but love trying out all of your recipes for my vegan friends and brother in law. Thanks and keep ’em comin’!!
Lucia Fellers says
I made this tonight for the crust of my Fruit Pizza. It is a family favorite and it was what my Mom wanted for her birthday “cake”. Now… to veganize the Fruit Pizza… I used your recipe for the crust…. the filling was a homemade tofu cream cheese with powdered sugar added…. then layers of fruit… and lastly a fruit glaze made with some homemade marmalade I had in the fridge. First of all the crust was perfect! It held together beautifully and did not stick to the pizza pan! The taste was superb and the texture was sugar cookie at it’s finest! Thank you for an awesome Vegan sugar cookie recipe… you made the Fruit Pizza a huge success!!!
Maricela Torres says
So I attempted to make the recipe yesterday and I am not sure if I did it right ? Are you suppose to use 1 and 3/4 cups of flour or just 3/4 cups of flour? And for some odd reason the cookies weren’t falling as they should when you put them in the oven ?
Hi! You are supposed to use 1 and 3/4 cups of flour! Is that what you used?
Tina Vorburger says
I just made these tonight for my vegan niece… I’m so excited to give them to her tomorrow for a birthday treat! I made them heart shaped with light pink frosting and sprinkles. I posted a pic on Instgram :)
Tina says
I should have also said they are delicious!
Sherri says
These are the perfect sugar cookies! For the cookies I used pureed squash (didn’t taste it at all) instead of pumpkin, used softened refined coconut oil instead of vegan butter, chose arrowroot as opposed to cornstarch, and used water instead of nondairy milk. I baked for 10 minutes. For the frosting I again used softened refined coconut oil instead of vegan butter and used a little water instead of nondairy milk, came out fine. Definitely keeper recipe, so delicious, Thank You!
Eleanor says
Yum! I made these at Christmas for my vegan in-laws and I ended up eating the majority of them! Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out so tender and delicious. I thought I would miss the real butter but not in these cookies! Thanks for the great recipe!
Nicole - Mini Pizzelle Maker says
Oee, these look yummy!! I bookmarked it for this weekend ;)
Rachel says
Hi there! I am making these for a vegan bakesale supporting Women’s Rights Organizations. I wanted to add some matcha powder to the dough! Any idea of how much I should add or if it wouldn’t work?
Maryam says
I made these for our christmas party! I used coconut oil instead of vegan butter. They turned out truly tasty and were a hit for the party!!! They taste a bit like Digestive cookies to me (yum, yum!). Mine did take longer to bake for some reason… I made them into shapes and they were a little on the thicker side so that’s probably why. Note that my dough was a bit dry and the shaped cookies were too delicate and broke easily when I initially made them thin! All in all great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Renee says
These cookies came out amazingly delicious!!! I did a batch by the recipe then another batch were I added 3 tbsp coco powder and upped the non dairy milk to 3 tsp, awesomeness ? Will be making these cookies again & again!!!
Sarah says
Made these for Christmas eve dinner. Were a total hit! Delicious and feels good to indulge every once in a while- in a healthier way. Plus I totally used the beet in the frosting and it was incredible!! Awesome recipe, will be making again! Thank you so much Dana! Merry Christmas!!
Michael Anne says
Amazing recipe! In addition to using beet juice to make pink/red frosting, we made different colors using turmeric (yellow), spirulina (green). Everyone we shared with couldn’t believe the cookies were 100% plant-based. Thank you!!!
Elyse says
I have a co-worker who cannot do dairy or gluten. I made these with Pillsbury GF flour and they turned out amazing! I made a huge batch (4x the recipe.) Only issue I had was wayyyyyy too much frosting left over. But that may be because I don’t re roll the dough after cutting out shapes, so I had much fewer cookies. Overall, a win!
Kristhle says
Hi there! I just made a sweet batch and didn’t have time to bake. How long can I chill the dough in the fridge? When is an appropriate time to transfer to freezer? Thank you in advance!
Hi! You can store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a few days and for longer-term storage, throw them in the freezer and they’ll be good for several weeks! Happy baking!
Maya says
Hi! LOVE your blogs and am already addicted to several of your tasty recipes but wondering how on earth I can make Christmas sugar cookies without using vegan butter like Earth Balance as I live on a small island now and it’s just NOT available. :( I have access to coconut oil, olive oil, cashews, coconut milk/cream, etc… and can make most things from scratch except if they require (vegan) butter, as ordering refrigerated items on amazon isn’t really possible I imagine, lol… Do you have any advice for me? I have a kid who would just LOVE to make these, and (the non-vegan) painted sugar cookies was always my favourite tradition growing up. Cheers, and thank you for all your lovely recipes! xx
Try softened coconut oil! Softened as in, not melted, but not rock hard. Good luck!!
Judi says
My daughter has been vegan for over a year. She loves cookies so we made them together. I used apple purée instead of pumpkin)
I would have taken a picture as they were all decorated beautifully but they were so delicious whole family ate them! Now they keep asking when I’m going to make them again. Thanks for the recipe!
Kayellepea says
I just bought paleo all purpose flour to try with these. It has arrowroot listed in the ingredients but says to use in place of regular AP flour. Should I still add the arrowroot powder?
Hmm, tough call. It might not need the arrowroot. But if they don’t hold their shape when baking that’s probably why, FYI!
John says
I substituted the pumpkin puree with vanilla flavored vegan yogurt and aquafaba. The cookies tasted okay but from a texture perspective where like little puffy cakes. I carefully measured the baking powder and soda but not sure what the problem was.
John
Marie Butcher says
WOW!! I have already made these twice in as many weeks. These are super easy, and super yummy. They remind me of my great grandmother’s sugar cookies she always had in a cookie jar. The cookies are so light, fluffy, and chewy. No need for icing they are so good. I brought some to work and my boss told everyone they were awful so that she could eat them all!! I will be making more to add to Christmas gift baskets.
Kylan says
Just made these this weekend. They were fantastic, so I made three batches! I did not try the frosting, because I wanted to use a royal icing recipe, but I think I will try it next time.
Jenna says
How long do these cookies stay fresh/good for once baked? Thanks in advance, super excited to make these!!
5 days! Or, 1 month in the freezer.
NH Parry says
I can use Xylitol instead of sugar but I don’t have a substitute for brown sugar. Can I make this recipe without brown sugar? If not, how do I substitute for brown sugar? Thanks.
Jenni says
Just made these for my daughter who can’t have dairy or eggs, and they turned out amazing! I did make a few modifications – subbed coconut oil in place of butter, tapioca starch in place of arrowroot/corn starch, and mashed sweet potato instead of pumpkin. I then rolled it out to about 1/4″ thickness and froze for 15 mins. I let it thaw for about 5 minutes and then cut the shapes out. They were so thin they only needed to bake for 6 minutes. Kid and parent approved!!
Jen says
Does the icing harden on these or stay soft like a cake frosting?
It slightly hardens. But you can thin it more with almond milk.
Grace says
I would rate these cookies 8.5 out of 10. They are very delicious, but the dough is a bit tough to roll out and a tad crumbly. I would suggest adding about 2 tsp more nondairy milk. These cookies also take about 16 minutes to bake in the oven, a bit longer than the recipe states. All in all, these are great vegan cookies for the holiday season- my whole family enjoys them.
Kate says
I was wondering which specific Earth Balance buttery sticks did you use. I think they have 2 or 3 versions. I used Earth Balance sticks for baking Christmas cookies last year and I thought that the butter was too salty for baking sweets and altered the cookies’ flavor too much.
Theresa "Sam" Houghton says
I just put a batch of this dough in the fridge to chill, using Food52’s tip of rolling it out between 2 sheets of wax paper first.
It smells AMAZING. I can’t believe how much it already smells like a classic sugar cookie before being baked. I can’t wait to cut out shapes and decorate them like I did when I was a kid. Thanks for this!
Sal says
They tasted good. But I’m super sad because they weren’t shape friendly. It was nearly impossible to cut shapes out =\ bummer
Try these!
Jennifer says
Can you freeze these?
Yes! Up to 1 month.
Jenna says
I made these, and subbed the pumpkin puree for peanut butter! That way they were peanut butter cookies! They were fantastic and super moist. If anyone tries it this way, I recommend checking the cookies and giving it an extra minute or two so that they have a chance to firm up!
Danya says
These are amazing!!!! im sending off a cookie care package of lots of vegan desserts to my sis and hubby and these cookies are perfect. They came out super soft and delicious I just used organic sugar to dust over icing and I used pieces of dots to decorate them. I had leftovers and my kids loved them! I may have to use this for now on as my go to sugar cookie.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Daniela says
My kids and I made these tonight and they came out great. Thanks for the recipe! We used lemon icing and sprinkles as decorations.
Sarah says
Oh my, these are amazing! My new go to vegan dessert for sure. They were super easy, and so soft on the inside. They were gone in a day in my house.
Amy says
I made these for my 4-year-old who is allergic to gluten, dairy, egg, tree nuts and more. They turned out great! I subbed the conventional flour for Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose GF flour, and added xanthum gum. He LOVED them! Thank you for helping him be able to enjoy holiday sugar cookies!
Ella says
I have been looking for the most non-vegan tasting sugar cookies since it is my first holiday season being vegan. So far I have made 4 different recipes and these are by far the best! These don’t have a vegan butter taste and all of my family members said they preferred these over the recipe that has been in the family for years! These are AMAZING!!
jocelyn says
HELP! what does13/4 cups mean
1 & 3/4 cups
Tedi says
Can these be frozen before icing? If yes, how long do you think they’ll keep in the freezer?
Thanks
Yeah! About 1 month!
Sheila says
could I use gluten free flour? My daughter is gluten egg and dairy intolerant and is hard to bake for
I have a new recipe coming this week! Stay tuned! Vegan / GF sugar cookies.
Ashley says
I followed the recipe to the” T ” and it turned out great! Tender and soft just like it said!
Jess says
Hi Dana! I absolutely love your recipes, but I have a hard time with pumpkin substitutes. My hubby isn’t a fan, and I desperately want to make these cookies, but using either the Follow Your Heart egg substitute, or the Bob’s Red Mill egg substitute. Do you know how many eggs the pumpkin was to replace? 2? I want to try it, but don’t want to over or under egg… Thanks!!! Jess
Hi there! You really can’t taste the pumpkin – promise. But if you’d like, I’d replace the pumpkin with 1 chicken egg or egg replacer of choice. Good luck!
Jess says
Thank you! I’m excited to make these!!
Ashley says
You literally CANNOT taste the pumpkin in there! Just don’t tell him or let them see it … that’s what I did! ?
Kimberly says
I made these last year and they were so so good! My family said they liked these better than the non-vegan sugar cookies they were making :) however, in the last year I have had to become GF, would gluten free all purpose flour work the same? Thank you!
Hi there! It’s worth a shot. But I do have a new GF Vegan version coming this week!
Haley says
Turned out great! These would make amazing snickerdoodles, just sprinkle cinnamon sugar on instead of frosting. I did 9 minutes on the shapes, and they were classically chewy. Next time I’ll do at least 11 minutes cause I like them crispy. And this is the 1st time I’ve made frosting that actually set! It kept it’s shape and looked so professional. And I kept the dough in the fridge 24 hours before I could get to it and it was fine/didn’t crumble.
Chantell says
Hi there…. can I use coconut oil as a vegan butter?
It’s worth a shot!
corinne says
did you try it? I was gonna ask the same thing!
Monisa says
This must be old because I’ve never seen you write about your feelings like this but we are definitely awkward soul mates. My ex boyfriend’s mother used to make him candy canes when he was a child because he couldn’t have preservatives and she painted the stripes on with beet juice. I can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend.
Natasha says
Could I just add more cane sugar instead of brown sugar? Or do you need the brown sugar?
I think you could substitute the brown sugar for more cane sugar!
Natasha says
Thanks!
Minna says
I’d love to make these for wedding favours at my vegan wedding, but how would they taste if I didn’t put icing on them? (If I’m going to put them in treat bags for guests to take home I wouldn’t want the icing to run or break up.) If they don’t taste great without the icing I might opt for a different recipe…If I ended up making them I’d include the recipe and a link to your page :)
I think they’ll taste great without icing! Congratulations and I hope the day goes splendidly!
Tira says
Any advice on using this for fruit pizza? In the past I would buy the pre-made tube of sugar cookie dough and spread it out on a pizza pan. Would that work with this recipe?
Melissa says
What type of non-dairy milk do you prefer?
Unsweetened plain almond milk
Tanya says
Will the frosting be stiff? I want to do these as a party favor but want the frosting to stay put
Emilia says
I used coconut oil instead of butter and they still turned out delicious. I have loved all your recipies so far!!
Tracy says
I made these exactly as instructed, only substituting Namaste Foods gluten free organic perfect flour blend. They turned out great. I didn’t cut them out into shapes, but instead flattened them into disks with a sugared glass. Thanks for another great recipe Dana!
Katie says
Spinach works far better than parsley for green food dye and has less of a taste. I’ve done a lot with colored oils in the past. Carrots can be used for orange, beets or cherries for red, blueberries for blue, turmeric or yellow peppers/beets for yellow. Red peppers also give off their color pretty well. Pick your liquid of choice, pack in the veggie/fruit, boil for 5 minutes to half a hour (depending on what you’re using), let sit overnight and then strain. Oil tends to transfer colors better than milks or water plus can be stored for later. I’ve used the oils before to make mashed potatoes and it’s a fantastic vegan way to do it, especially with the sweet pepper oils as they tend to impart a sweet taste.
Andrea says
Best vegan sugar cookie! crunchy, not too sweet, everybody thinks a professional baker made them! I made mine into the shape of a ju jitsu gi for my ju jitsu class and everybody loved them! I didnt make the frosting that this recipe had though I just used a glaze I made from powdered sugar and coconut milk.
Callie says
Used 1 medium sized banana instead of pumpkin and it turned out perfectly fine
Megan says
I have used freeze dried berries to color and flavor my frosting before. Buy a bag of freeze dried strawberries (I get mine at Trader Joe’s), then turn them into powder in the blender (I use my NutriBullet) and mix in the frosting. When doing this you may need to add a little milk because the frosting tends to get thicker. But it is very delicious and makes a pretty pink color.
Marianna says
Instead of applesauce or puree as a substitute for egg, can we use a chia egg or flax egg? Has anyone tried? please let me know!
Sofie says
Turned out amazing and delicious. I made them for a work party and no one even knew they were vegan! Definitely my new go to cookie.
Colleen says
I’ve made these twice now, and they are amazing! At least as good as any other traditional sugar cookies I’ve ever made. They can be made soft or crispy by rolling the dough thicker or thinner. I used 1 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract in the frosting. You’d never know they are vegan! The pumpkin is not detected in the taste, but does give them more of a brownish tint.
Noelle says
I don’t want to buy a whole can of pumpkin purée for a small batch. Has anyone tried this recipe with bananas? How did it turn out and what was the process and number of bananas?
Also, Dana, I bow down to you.
Hannah says
Do you think this recipe would work with coconut oil? I live abroad and there is no Earth Balance and I hate using margarine. Thanks!
Jill says
I am making these for my son’s preschool Valentines Day party! They are the best! The dough turned out great and the frosting was delicious! They were super easy as well! I am a HUGE fan!
Jeane Ridges says
Hello,
Have you tried these with whole wheat flour?
Sarah says
Do these cookies taste anything like pumpkin from the pumpkin purée?
Sarah says
Do these cookies taste like pumpkin from the pumpkin purée?
ELIZABETH says
No they tasted like sugar cookies had no clue about the pumpkin. I also used banana in my frosting and that you fould taste ans they were great. This is first time i have ever made anything vegan and i looked than more than the non.