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.
Anita Barnes says
These cookies are dangerously delicious. I had to get my husband to hide them from me, or I would have eaten them all.
The only challenge I had was with the use of cookie cutters; the dough stuck to them and it was pretty messy, so I passed on using them. Next time, I’ll try a sprinkle of flour.
Thanks for sharing, Anita! Yes, dipping the cookie cutters in flour first can help!
Aricka says
Made these with my son a couple weeks ago. They turned out awesome! Our shapes baked lovely because we did take the time to freeze the dough as recommended above (my son wasn’t too happy about the extra wait time, but it was definitely worth it in the end). We will be making these again within the next couple of days.
Thank you :-)
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for sharing, Aricka! xo
Valerie says
Hi, do these cookies spread? If I were to use a cookie cutter will they hold its shape in the oven?
Yes, they will hold shape. They only spread a tiny bit.
Skyler Pemberton says
Hi!
Would it work if I doubled this recipe or would it mess up the proportions?? Thank you so so much and I absolutely love everything minimalist baker does. You guys are my vegan heroes❤️
That should work well! Let us know how they turn out for you =)
Lyuba says
First time cookies for me as well. Not really managed to make the shape, however really good taste! I will try again.. What you do here on minimalistbaker is really amazing.😀 I love all your recipes and because now we are on lockdown I cook 2,3 times per day 😊😊
Aw, we’re so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, Lyuba! Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Desere says
First time trying sugar cookies. Substituted pumpkin puree with apple sauce, cane sugar with maple and vegan butter for coconut oil. Cookies turned out great, just struggled with the consistency of the frosting as I had to make my own powdered sugar. My son helped and loved them
Thanks for sharing, Desere!
Sabrina says
Any idea how you could substitute for whole wheat flour for a healthier version?
I think you could sub it 1:1 without issue. It will just taste more earthy.
Christina Ingoglia says
I have made this recipe multiple times. It always works, and the cookies are super delicious.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Christina! xo
Sarah says
Hi!! Can I make this without butter or oil? If not, is there another recipe you could point me to? Thank you!
Most of our cookies contain some amount of oil or butter. But you could try subbing cashew butter and seeing how it goes?
Nicol says
I usually love your desserts, but these cookies tasted off. I subbed coconut sugar for cane but followed the recipe to a T otherwise. I’m hesitant to try and make these again.
Hi Nicol, so sorry to hear that was your experience! Cane sugar helps with texture, but coconut sugar shouldn’t cause it to taste off. Is it possible one of your ingredients was spoiled? Or were the baking powder and baking soda measurements swapped? Could you share more about how they tasted off? We’d love to be able to help troubleshoot!
Frizzle says
This recipe is GREAT! I was looking for a vegan recipe that didn’t contain flax or some other egg replacer that I didn’t have. the pumpkin was wonderful.
Word of caution: I was planning on rolling these out and using cookie cutters but missed the step about flouring the parchment- do not miss this step, it sticks. I ended up scraping them off the parchment rolling them in balls which was perfectly delicious. Will make this again, very easy. I think for the first time in my life, I did not alter this recipe at all.
I froze the second half of the dough and I think this made better cookies the 2nd time around.
Thanks for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Carley W. says
The whole time I was making these my husband was very concerned that I was using pumpkin. He hates pumpkin. However, now he is having a huge problem because he can’t stop eating them!!! They are the perfect combination of chewy, crisp, and sweet!! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
haha yay! Thanks for sharing, Carley!
Amanda says
Hi!
I made these sorta.
I made them vegan and Gluten free. I used King Arther’s Measure for Measure flour. I used flaxseed and honey instead of pumpkin puree. I used Baking soda and AVC instead of baking powder. And I added Cocoa Powder to make them chocolate.
Lets just say my family may not get a chance to eat these. wOW!!
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your creative modifications, Amanda! xo
Erika Bee says
This was my first time making cookies from scratch. Thanks covid.
I replaced pumpkin with 1/3 of a banana. I think i can really get creative with these cookies. My non-vegan mom loved it.
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing, Erika!
lindo says
These were amazing! I used flaxseed meal (because I didn’t want to waste the excess pumpkin puree) and it worked well as an egg substitute! Great texture and flavor
We’re so glad it worked well! Thanks so much for sharing!
linda handel says
I am going to use this sugar cookie recipe to make a pie crust bottom for strawberry/rhubarb pie. I’ll roll out the dough and slide onto a pie, blind bake the crust and add the prepared filling. Off to get those delicious Oregon berries tomorrow for jam and pie!
Let us know how it goes!
Rachel B. says
I wanted to make a treat for my vegan friend who is studying away for finals. Delicious! Next time I will try a flax egg instead of the applesauce and nix the baking powder all together. I was looking more for a chewy instead of soft cookie.
Alex says
Hello, cookie recipe is fantastic! I didnt have a purée at the time so i subbed it with 1 tbs of flaxseed sitting in 2&1/2 tbs of water for 3 minutes and added that to the butter mix. Kids loved it with the decoration cut outs
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Alex! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Hannah Lovell says
These are so good! Saved half the dough and made a week later. They hit the spot.
Alli Matarrese says
These turned out amazing despite all the changes I had to make! I used Walmart’s gf all purpose flour, applesauce instead of pumpkin, and the tub of vegan butter instead of the sticks (just made it work with the ingredients I had). The dough seemed the perfect consistency without the almond milk so I just did not add it. They ended up so good!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Alli. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Jessica Goldstein says
Hi there! I’ve made this recipe before, and it turned out so well. It was the best gift for my friend :) I don’t have cornstarch this time (also only banana as an egg substitute). Do you have any suggestions on what I should do about the lack of cornstarch/arrowroot? Thank you so much!
Hi Jessica, do you have tapioca starch? We wonder if maybe that would work?
Jessica Goldstein says
I didn’t have tapioca starch, but I just substituted a little more flour! They are so delicious :) Thank you!
So glad it worked! Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
Angela says
I used tapioca and it turned out well!
Thanks for sharing, Angela!
Misha says
I used Millet flour and chia seed (for egg substitute ) and the dough was soooo sticky! :(
Even with using additional flour it was still sticky, couldn’t even use a rolling pin.
I’m guessing the flour was a miss? What do you think?
Hi Misha, hmm, it could be the flour or the chia. We’re not quite sure!
brie says
this was delicious, this recipe is everything. i sold it at my school and it was a huge hit!
So great! Thanks for sharing, Brie.
Diana says
Delish! Will make again.
Kid approved too. I was not consistent with the thickness and preferred the thin ones, they had a nice crunch to them.
Also made the frosting and it was a hit for non-dairy people too. I colored it pink with
De-thawed dragon fruit juice; not needing the Splash of almond milk.
Great idea! So glad your family enjoyed it, Diana!
Marla Webb says
I have made these several times. They are amazing. I need to make some today for my grand daughters class for tomorrow. I don’t have pumpkin so I was wondering how the applesauce turns out. Thank you
Hi Marla, You can read about other readers experiences in the comments. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “applesauce”) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Elise says
This is the absolute best sugar cookie recipe I’ve ever made. I used Melt brand vegan butter. The pumpkin is amazing. I was skeptical at first but wow. Thank you for this!!!
Cathy says
These are great soft cookies. I made them for my son, a vegan. I like them and I can’t even tell they are vegan.
Nico says
Are these soft and chewy?
Yes- feel free to bake slightly less time to keep them soft and chewy.
Ashley says
Wanted to add one more thing! Making these cookies now and since I don’t have beets for colored frosting, I do have frozen blueberries. I just let them defrost a little then squeezed juice into frosting. Turned frosting into a soft purple! ??
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Ashley says
This recipe was a hit! My kids and husband loved it. We also had a great time decorating the cookies with frosting and sprinkles. Had no idea frosting was so easy to make. Will be making it this way from now on! Didn’t have any beets for coloring but will definitely try soon. Also, I did not have pumpkin purée so we just used an egg and kept all other ingredients the same. Came out perfectly! Thank you ?
Kieran Cleary says
Thanks! Just the recipe I was looking for. Added canned pears to the dough, and put a banana slice on top of each one!
SMART! Thanks for sharing, Kieran!
Karen says
For ideas on food coloring: Watkins Food Coloring appears to be vegan, using beet juice, turmeric, and spirulina for color.
There are tips and the comments say these colorings are vegan, but not organic. Would blueberries (juiced) mixed with turmeric yield green?
My grandmother colored eggs by adding onion skins to the boiling water. They were a brownish orangey tint, which makes me wonder about other boiled greens.
Maybe that sparks a few ideas?
Erin says
These cookies are delicious! Even without the frosting (although the frosting is a little bit of magic!) they are light and soft and have a nice, not too sweet taste. Perfect with ice cream. Will definitely be making them again!
Thanks, Erin!!
Leanne Macdonald says
EDIT:
I am SO confused. I’m not much of a baker, but I made these for Valentine’s Day and they were fantastic. After some failed vegan dessert preparations prior, I was so excited to make these for Christmas. They were completely and entirely different! I didn’t think I did anything differently… all I can think is I used another brand of raw cane turbinado sugar that seemed a bit moist, perhaps I over-stirred them, or it’s because I moved to a new house and oven? Instead of baking up nice, thin and crisp, my cookies fluffed up and when cool they are dry and don’t taste very good. Any theories on why they came out so drastically changed?
Hmm, I can’t! Not sure what happened, Leanne! We’ll revisit the instructions / ingredients to see what could’ve happened. Perhaps some of your ingredients were not fresh?
Casey says
Second year in a row making these with the kids. I’m not usually a fan of sugar cookies, but these are delicious! Turned out great again! They lasted a long time in the freezer last year.
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Casey!
Sarah M says
I was pretty hopeful about this recipe initially, but even after refrigerating for 3 hours, the dough was just too melty to even handle and I had to scrap the whole thing. Bummer.
Sorry to hear that happened, Sarah! What kind of vegan butter did you use? We wonder if that could be the issue.
Sarah M says
I used earth balance but the dough just didn’t stay firm, so weird! I used my cuisinart mixer and followed the recipe to a T! I’m going to try again today and maybe add a little more flour or something.
Are you using the Earth Balance sticks or the kind in the tub? We recommend the buttery sticks. Good luck!! Keep us posted.
Aileen says
Made this recipe for my non vegan co workers last year and it was huge hit! I forgot to pick up pumpkin puree this year though, do you think I could sub aquafaba? Thanks!
So glad to hear it!! The pumpkin puree is replacing 1 egg. Three tablespoons of aquafaba is equivalent to about one whole egg, though we have not tried aquafaba in this recipe and cannot guarantee the results. Report back if you test it!
Amy Roose says
Amazing! I am a hot mess in the kitchen and was a little put off at first on the list of ingredients but these were super easy to make. I ended up not using baking powder bc apparently I didn’t have any but the cookies came out great anyhow. Super tasty, soft and fluffy. I baked them as balls for 10 minutes then smushed them down and cooked for an extra 2 minutes. Even my 13 year old liked them and he’s super negative about anything vegan ? and non bacon.
We’re so glad you and your son enjoyed these! Thanks for sharing!
Samantha says
Followed the recipe to a T and they came out AMAZING!! I made cut out cookies and didn’t have any wax paper but parchment paper worked just he same. Thanks for sharing this recipe. My newly vegan husband is very excited there will be Christmas cookies he can eat that are actually delicious !!! Thanks again!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Amy says
Hello!! I am looking forawrd to making these for the first time tomorrow. What non-dairy milk would you reccomend using? Thank you so much! I am sure these are going to be delicious!!
Unsweetened plain almond milk would be our preference. Let us know how it goes!
Maddalena says
I’ve tried many of Dana’s recipes and loved them all, but I must say that these cookies did not work out at all for me. I followed the recipe to a t, although I did use the applesauce instead of the pumpkin puree. The cookies came way too puffed up, they kinda lost their shapes and I have to say, the taste wasn’t that great either… I don’t know if this is because of the applesauce or maybe the butter I used wasn’t the best (even though I’ve used the same butter for years and made other sugar cookies and never had problems). Given the fact that all the reviews are positive and I’ve followed almost all of Dana’s vegan recipes and they were great, I don’t understand what I did wrong. Can anyone help me understand?
Thank you
Maddalena, we definitely haven’t tested this with applesauce. It’s definitely a wetter texture than pumpkin. But assuming you didn’t change anything else I’m not sure what could’ve gone wrong.
Ciera says
These were great! I actually did sub for the applesauce cause that’s usually my go-to. Still gave me the outcome I was looking for. I also only used brown sugar and no extra sugar. These are for my toddler and I know she’s gonna love these!!! Thanks!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ciera! Thanks for the lovely review!
Karishma says
Can I skip the brown sugar and use regular white cane sugar instead?
That should work! Let us know how it goes!
Alicia says
These cookies are fantastic, and versatile and I make them every year and they are a hit! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe ?
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Alicia. We are so glad you enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Celena says
Wonderful recipe! Always turns out better than non-vegan cookies :) Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy them! Thanks for sharing!
Sam says
Hi!
Am looking forward to trying this recipe!
Can the dough be made ahead of time and frozen?
We think so! Let us know if you give it a try!
Megan says
My son is allergic to dairy and eggs so I do a lot of vegan baking. I looooove these cookies. Not too sweet but sweet enough for kids! I chill the cutout dough on the pan before baking to keep the spreading to a minimum when we do cutouts. These are delish and I can pretend they’re sort of healthy because pumpkin.
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Megan! Thanks for sharing!
Morgan O says
Hey .. my whole family loves these cookies but I have a couple questions!
1. If doubling the batch do I still double the baking powder? (Recently experienced very fluffy cookies in a different recipe from what I assume was too much baking powder.)
2. Can I use regular eggs instead of pumpkin and if so, how many?
Thank you so much for so many fabulous recipes! Your recipes are my go-to for all holidays and events!
You can use regular eggs – I’d say 1 (as the recipe is written). If doubling, maybe 2 (small).
And for less fluffy cookies, leave the baking powder to the amount written! (don’t double).
Good luck, Morgan!
Ann says
My son has dairy and egg allergies so he never had a sugar cookie before until today! These turned out amazing and he had so much fun rolling out the dough and cutting them with various cookie cutters. We didn’t use frosting this time but will definitely make more cookies closer to Christmas and he will be able to use frosting and sprinkles. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Aw, we’re so glad he was able to enjoy these, Ann! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kaila says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! During your recipe testing, did you try it with a flax egg? I’m curious as to how much it would change the texture.
We did – it changes the texture quite a bit and I wouldn’t recommend it.
Kaitlyn Liu says
If I used cookie cutters prior to putting them in the oven, would they hold their shape?
Yes! They spread slightly, but do still work (see photos).
COCO SWACKHAMMER says
dose this work gf
Hi Coco, a few other readers have mentioned success making this GF. Otherwise, we would recommend this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/fluffy-1-bowl-sugar-cookies-vegan-gf/
Cari says
Delicious! If a cookie batter is vegan, does that mean it is safe to eat raw? Asking for a friend…
Hi Cari, it’s not advised to eat raw flour, unfortunately.
Serena Leone says
These turned out awesome and held their shapes! I love your vegan recipes. They always turn out lovely. I often turn to your recipes first when trying things and they always turn out better than I expected! Your instructions are clear and easy to follow and much appreciated. Thank you kindly.
Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Serena! We’re so glad you enjoy them! xo
Veganbrujera says
Very tasty and simple. I didnt have any arrowhead root powder or pumpkin puree. I replaced the pumpkin puree with a mashed banana following the 1/4 measurement and the cookies came out fantastic!
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Erika says
What is the 1/4 measurement? I would love to sub banana for the pumpkin purée. Thanks!
Jennifer says
I think she’s referring to the 1/4 cup of pumpkin. She replaced it with 1/4 cup of banana.
Kelsie says
I made these with a flax egg instead of the purée, and it worked great. Very tasty! ?
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification, Kelsie. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Jenah L. says
Hello,
I was looking at some good cookie recipes to use next week on my anniversary and I think this one might be perfect :) I was just wondering one thing about the frosting; Do you think it would do well in a piping bag? I would like to write something on my cookies if it will hold up well.
Thank you so much!
Hmm, I don’t think so as it’s not super thick. But if you give it a try let us know how it goes!
Maeva says
I made these replacing the butter with coconut oil and without a mixer and they turned out fucken fantastic. I didn’t do the frosting, but the cookies are sweet enough without it in my opinion.
Now I’ve just gotta figure out what to do with the rest of this pumpkin puree!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Maeva. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! P.s. you can filter by ingredient on our recipe page to find all of our recipes with pumpkin! Hope that helps!
Dory says
Add to a tomato base soup…it’s that ingredient that makes a rich and hearty difference but you don’t know exactly what it is..freeze til you make soup
shan says
Pumpkin mug soup! I mix about 2/3 cup pumpkin purée With 3/4 cup Veggie broth, 1/4 tsp sage and heat in microwave for about 1 minute, then add some cashew milk and heat again for about 30 seconds until hot but not boiling.
Larry Kluger says
You asked to share natural food colorings that I have used. I used pink, green, and yellow for animal cracker cookies. For pink, I used freeze dried strawberries which I ground up (I got them at Trader Joe’s). For green, I used matcha powder. For yellow, I used turmeric (when used in small quantities, its flavor was not detected). I appreciate your site and am always intrigued by your ideas.
Liz Skidmore says
Hi Dana, if I’m making the with egg, how many eggs per batch? Thank you so much! Liz
Hi Liz, The pumpkin puree is replacing 1 egg. Hope that helps!
Jenny Leigh says
Hello! I believe I made a different version/recipe of this your sugar cookies in the past but can’t seem to locate the recipe. It was gluten and dairy free. I’m pretty sure it used part almond flour and part coconut flour. I also believe it had an egg in it. Am I remembering incorrectly? Is this recipe still available somewhere? Thanks for your help. I am a fan of yours for your healthy versions of desserts and their simplifications!
It may have been this one. Hope that helps!
Nakia says
Thank you for this recipe, these are absolutely amazing! I’ve tried other sugar cookie recipes but none are this delicious. I’ve made them for Valentine’s Day two years in a row, coloring the icing with beets like you suggested, and they’re always a huge hit. Could you do a recipe for vegan royal icing?
Glad you like these cookies! We will add vegan royal icing to our requests list! Thanks for the lovely comment!
Chelsea says
This has become my go-to cookie recipie! They’re very easy to make, super soft and so, so good. The pumpkin purée doesn’t add any flavor but makes them nice and fluffy.
Ashley says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made them twice within a week for activities and they’re perfect. I followed exactly and used oat as my df milk. They’re just the right type of soft and they kept well in the fridge for a few days after, staying chewy. My four-year-old is all about the shapes right now, so I’m so glad to have a go-to vegan sugar cookie. You’re awesome!
We’re so glad to hear that, Ashley! Thanks for sharing!
Olivia Ladaire says
I made these cookies and were so delightfully surprised at just how well they turned out! They were very soft when they first came out of the overn (which is really how I like my sugar cookies!) and hardened very nicely! No one would have guessed they were vegan! Loved them!
Mayte says
I’m trying these today for my alergic nephew. For the dying, i’ve Gotten great results with turmeric for yellow, matcha for green (though not recommended for kids because of its excitant properties), and powdered dehidrated strawberries for pinkish red (you’ll need a good amount for better color, so you should add less sugar so you don’t get an extremely thick frosting)
Hayley says
I added some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice to play on flavour with the pumpkin purée. I also dipped in dark chocolate instead of frosting :)
Elliott says
Hi! Would you suggest the same recipe for non-vegan users?
Hi Elliott! We create our recipes with everyone in mind and that being said, we would recommend this recipe to all eaters :D
Kelli says
I make sugar cookies every Christmas and I have to say (humble brag forthcoming), I have pretty much perfected the traditional recipe. I’m trying to go 100% plant-based and my traditional recipe calls for eggs. I gave this recipe a try, but with low expectations…and. I. Was. Blown. Away! Even better than the original — my son, who was complaining about my vegan attempt at Christmas cookies, said “I don’t usually even like sugar cookies, but these are soft and crispy at the same time!” This will be our new holiday tradition :)
Lynsey says
I made this with the applesauce and they turned out fantastic! I made them for Christmas and had to make another batch because they were gone so fast! Thank you!
Kayle says
Can i use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour
Nidhi says
Hi,
The cookies look lovely. Was thinking of trying out an Spiced Orange cookie with this as a base (adding Orange zest and some spices). Could I use normal dairy butter and milk along with applesauce for the recipe(as my friends are only allergic to eggs and not dairy).
Thanks!
Hi! Yes, you could use milk and butter in this recipe, Nidhi!
Shannon Menendez says
My boys and I made these today. So yummy! Only problem was that my vegan butter cream with Earth Balance coagulated a little. I’m wondering if maybe it wasn’t room temperature enough? Still the best flavor, though! I was going to attach a pic but didn’t see a way to. Thank you for the best recipes, Dana!
Hmm it sounds like that might have been the case.. We’re glad you still enjoyed them, Shannon!
Jacky Surber says
I made these exactly as the recipe calls except with Dana’s GF flour mix, using the arrowroot for the binder. They came out perfect, just a little too sweet for my taste. I will definitely make these again and try them with less sugar. The butter I use is Myokos from Trader Joes.
Thank you Dana!
Lucy says
I did the recipe and substituted pumpkin for half a banana. Delicious, soft and amazing! Great recipe.
Mackenna Dombroski says
These are amazing! An absolute hit at parties! Non vegan people had no idea they weren’t vegan ;)
Kathryn says
I make these cookies every year for Christmas, at least two to threes times. They are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever eaten. I can’t go back to the pre made tube kind. I like making them and pairing it with a pot a tea for a “Christmas tea party” with my two daughters. I also tried your ginger bread cookies for the first time a few nights ago; they were wonderful. Still haven’t decided which one to make for Santa this year.
Andrea says
I just made these cookies! Pretty simple & taste great.
We’re having friends over tomorrow for cookie decorating and they needed to be dairy free, so thank you for the fantastic recipe!
Cherie Sarachan says
Hi Dana,
Just looking at the recipe for vegan sugar cookies and wanted to make Chanukah cookies but I wasn’t sure if these would be good as cut out cookies?
Thank you so much – just love your site
Cherie
Hi Cherie! Yes, these would work quite well for that.
Daina says
These are the best vegan sugar cookies! I like mime crunchy so 10 mins was perfect! I don’t use brown sugar so I used coconut palm sugar in place of that and didn’t change anything else. I did keep the cut shapes in the freezer before baking and all my shapes stayed as they were. I like them without any icing. Just the perfect amount of sweetness!
AnnaMaria Guevara says
Made these this evening and though the flavor is good they dont have the texture or taste of sugar cookies. Mine came out very soft! Not sure why? Followed recipe as is
Hmm, perhaps add a bit more flour next time to thicken the dough. Chilling longer before baking can also help!
Lori Gulley says
You asked about green food coloring. I dehydrated fresh comfrey leaves this past summer for use in homemade comfrey salves. Some of it I extracted by soaking in olive oil, and some I tinctured in 50% (100 proof) organic alcohol. The alcohol tincture turned out to be a very GREEN green color, beautifully dark. I bet it would work very nicely as a green food coloring, albeit slightly alcoholic. That would probably evaporate out as the frosting dries on the cookie, though. It colors a cup of tea a lovely shade of green, and a couple of 1 Tbsp doses completely cured my knee pain (comfrey is very healing to bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons).
Lili says
I know it’s been said but with the holidays here and people looking for recipes I’m going to add again that these cookies are a delicious, soft sugar cookie and you absolutely can NOT taste the pumpkin! I bake these often and all of my family & friends agrees, no pumpkin flavor. If you are looking for pumpkin flavor, add some pie spice into the dough or frosting or use pumpkin pie mix pumpkin in lieu of the 100% pumpkin. Some other awesome flavors I’ve added are cardamom, cinnamon, Rose petal, lavender, peppermint, lemon, orange, marjoram, anise, fennel, and curry! See, I really do love these cookies and they’re so versatile! For most those I just add a bit of essential oil! If your old recipe that you loved but then went vegan, called for sour cream, add exactly one drop of lemon EO to get just that tiny tad of tart. Happy holidays! Oh also, Bobs Red Mill 2 to 1 works like a dream in these cookies if you need GF.
Lyz says
Hi, would this recipe work for thumbprint cookies?
Lili says
Lyv, these work great for thumbprints! They are pretty soft (but not crumbly) so go a little longer cooking time for a firmer cookie if you want.
Yes I think so!
Nicolena Crescenzo says
OH MY! These are so delicious. Seriously. I didn’t change anything about the recipe and I ended up spooning them instead of rolling them out because I wanted to see if this will be the recipe I use for roll out Christmas cookies this year. Since roll out takes so much longer I wanted to get the taste before I committed my cookie cutters. Know what one of the best things about this recipe? No risk of getting sick from eating the uncooked dough ? gosh these are so good!!
alpineazalea azalea says
Making these w Veg “shortening “, not margarine. Look light tangerine color… Used unrefined sugar. Do not quite satisfy sweet tooth of youngster ( Well… not a good yardstick ).
Was thinking of grinding in some flax seed for substance…..
Jordan says
I made these cookies last night and they are AMAZING! I am going to make them for a dinner party
Shelly Niemeyer says
How thick should they be when rolled out and can I freeze the dough and use it later?
LaDonna Saylor says
I was wondering about the powder sugar? I’ve been told It’s not vegan bc it’s basic wedgie sugar in a powder forum…. Is this PS any different brand? I made dough but i left out the plant based milk. Bc it was wet enough … The dough turned out good.
Hi LaDonna! You can purchase vegan powdered sugar like this one online!
Lisa says
I’ve been looking for a healthier vegan cut out recipe and this was perfect. I substituted oat flour to make it GF and used Lucuma powder and a little maple syrup instead of sugar. They taste great and were easy for the kids to cut into shapes.
Bree says
it was amazing, but i had ran out of Cornstarch but I remembered that to make confectioners sugar/powdered sugar it had a load of corn starch plus sugar so you should try that for a sweet treat
Tiff says
You nailed it… per usual !!!!! I just made these in circular form and added vegan m&ms to the tops (brand is Unreal from WF) and used Nada Moo vanilla ice cream to make vegan m&ms ice cream sandwiches!!!! Kept them in freezer overnight and were the BEST ! Brought to a dinner party and everyone thought they were better than the real ones!
That sounds delicious, Tiff!
Alyssa Tlera says
Hey, this is kind of a weird question but I was hoping you could share where you got those little metal cups that are holding the frosting in the pictures. They’re so cute!
Thanks! :)
Alyssa
I got them at a vintage store!
Samantha says
I just made this recipe and it was my first time making cookies! They came out SO delicious. I shared them with my sister and my nephew. (He’s a very picky eater and he loved them!) Thank you so much!
One quick question…
What is the best way to store the frosting? I had a little trouble where I refrigerated the frosting and I added a little bit of almond milk after to help it return to the correct consistency but it became grainy. Not sure If I missed a step or did something wrong?
Ayaka says
You said it can store at room temperature, but your icing has earth balance in it… is it safe to not refrigerate??
Yes!
Adriane says
How many eggs is the purée subbing for? I don’t have pumpkin purée handy but I do have a can of chickpeas. I am just wondering how much aquafaba to use.
Hi! The pumpkin puree is replacing 1 egg. Three tablespoons of aquafaba is equivalent to about one whole egg, though we have not tried aquafaba in this recipe and cannot guarantee the results. Report back if you test it!
Adriane says
Thanks!! I ended up using the equivalent of two eggs, so six tablespoons of aquafaba. I also used whole grain flour which might be why the extra liquid was needed. Didn’t use the arrowroot or corn starch. The cookies are delicious!!
Giuliana says
These are the best vegan cookies I’ve found so far. The dough was really sticky and kinda hard to work with after 15 minutes in the freezer so I’ll probably chill them overnight next time. These were soft but firm and really easy to put the frosting on. They taste better than the non vegan ones at the store!
Beth says
Made these yesterday with my 2 year old to give to her friends for Valentine’s Day. They’re great! Thanks for the recipe.
Quick question — if you get a chance — would love to know if I should keep them at room temp until Weds (again, we made them Saturday), or would it be better to freeze until then? Thanks!
Maddie says
Made these with tapioca starch instead of arrowroot and it worked! Also found I didn’t need the almond milk because they were plenty moist. Hope this is helpful. LOved them! Love your recipes!
Kesina Gray says
Wow!! This was my first time baking anything vegan and it was delicious!! I was very nervous to use the pumpkin but they were soooo good! My son and husband ate them all up!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Jess says
Hi!
I LOVE this recipe! My only issue was the shape-loss when baked. I like a firm edge to cut cookies (yes, a little ridiculous, I know), so I added 1/4 cup of almond flour to the standard recipe (and used one tbsp of Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer for the egg/pumpkin). It worked like a dream! They puffed up a little, but not out, and held the perfect shape and slight crunch when cooled. I also added a bit of almond extract to the icing, for a little extra kick. Thanks Dana! J
Jennifer says
Last year after becoming vegan, I made some sugar cookies at Christmas time that were huge flop! I’m happy to say that these cookies did not disappoint! I’m once again able to enjoy sugar cookies with my family and they didn’t even know they were vegan! Thank you
Sue says
Made these cookies and all went well with dough etc. However, there was a slight pumpkin taste. The next time I will try either applesauce or yogurt which other reviewers used. Will definitely use this recipe again as it is easy with few ingredients. A winner for sure.