These Vegan Christmas Cookies are packed full of holiday cheer. Simple vegan sugar cookies are topped with a homemade dairy-free icing. And they're fun and easy to make as a family!
Jump to:
I have created so many vegan cookie recipes for the blog over the years. There's everything from chocolate crinkle cookies to vegan thumbprint cookies to chickpea chocolate chip cookies.
But it wasn't until this holiday season, that I realized I was seriously lacking a simple vegan Christmas cookie recipe!
So here it is - the easiest and most delicious Vegan Christmas Cookies you'll ever make. These simple vegan sugar cookies are perfect for making with kids over the holidays, and are easy to pull together in just 30 minutes (plus time for the dough to chill).
So let's get baking!
And if you're here planning your holiday menu, don't forget to check out our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
The Ingredients
These vegan Christmas cookies are simple to pull together. In fact, you probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry already.
For the vegan sugar cookie dough, you'll need:
All Purpose Flour. Or you can use a gluten free baking flour.
Vegan Butter. I use Earth Balance.
Vegetable Shortening. Crisco Vegetable Shortening is accidentally vegan!
Sugar. Choose organic to ensure it is vegan.
Almond Milk. Or other plant based milk of your choice.
Vanilla Extract.
Baking Powder.
Salt.
For the vegan icing, you'll need:
Powdered Sugar.
Almond Milk. Or other plant based milk.
Corn Syrup.
Food Coloring. I used these gel food colorings.
Sprinkles! Any kind you like. These holiday sprinkles are vegan friendly.
See recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
Other Equipment You'll Need
These Christmas cookies are pretty simple, but there are a few key items that will make your life a lot easier:
Cookie Cutters. I used Christmas tree shaped cookie cutters!
Parchment Paper. For lining the baking sheets, so your cookies don't burn on the bottom or stick to the pan.
Rolling Pin. Obviously essential.
Cooling Rack. Nice to have, but optional. I have these inexpensive ones.
Making the Vegan Cookies
Start off by preparing the cookies themselves. We will use a simple vegan sugar cookies recipes as the base for our Vegan Christmas Cookies.
Cream together the vegan butter, shortening, and sugar. Add the almond milk and vanilla and mix. The mixture should be light and fluffy!
Add the dry ingredients - baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix until dough forms. Pause here and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
Roll out dough into a ¼" thick sheet. Use cookie cutters to cut out your Christmas trees - or any holiday shapes you like!
Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.
Important Tip!
Let the baked cookies cool completely on a cooling rack before topping them with icing. Trust me - don't get impatient. If you ice the cookies while they are warm, the frosting will melt!
Making the Vegan Icing
While the cookies are cooling, you can get started preparing the simple vegan icing, which we will use to frost the Christmas cookies!
Mix together the powdered sugar, almond milk, and corn syrup to make the vegan icing.
Add a few drops of food coloring. If you want to make several colors - simply divide the icing into smaller bowls and color each one!
Add icing to the vegan cookies! I used green icing to decorate my Christmas tree shaped cookies.
Add additional decorations like colorful sprinkles to finish off the Vegan Christmas Cookies!
And there you have it - beautiful and festive vegan Christmas Cookies that are so easy the kids could make them!
Fun Variations
Make it gluten free. To make gluten free vegan Christmas cookies, just substitute a gluten free baking flour.
Sandwich cookies. Simply sandwich two cookies together, with a layer of jam or chocolate in between. Try it with this vegan strawberry jam!
Chocolate dipped cookies. Melt some vegan chocolate chips in the microwave in a small microwave-safe bowl. Dip half of the cookie into the chocolate, decorate with sprinkles, and set it aside to cool.
Mix up the shapes and colors! Make multiple icing colors and a variety of holiday themed shapes. Thing candy canes, stockings, and gingerbread men. You can even decorate with crushed candy canes - yum.
More Vegan Treats
If you love these Vegan Christmas Cookies, be sure to check out these other holiday ideas:
And for the easiest holiday yet, don't forget to check out my complete Vegan Christmas cookbook!
Recipe
Vegan Christmas Cookies
Equipment
- cooling rack optional
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ¾ cup sugar organic
- 3 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- Food coloring colors of your choice
- Christmas Sprinkles of your choice!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add the almond milk and vanilla extract and beat again
- Add in the baking powder, salt an half the flour and mix well; then add the remaining flour and mix until smooth
- Flatten dough into a disk, wrap with plastic, and allow to chill in fridge for at least 1 hour
- Preheat oven to 350 F, remove dough from fridge and roll out until ¼” thick, use cookie cutters to make various shaped cookies, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting but mixing together the powdered sugar, almond milk and corn syrup until smooth; divide into smaller bowls and tint with the food coloring if desired
- Decorate cooled cookies with the frosting and sprinkles, allow for 8 hours for the frosting to harden
Marisa says
I made these for Christmas and they were perfect! I would like to make them for an event I have coming up, could I make them in advance and freeze them? The event is out of town. How far in advance could I make them? Thanks for your time.
Lindsay says
Just made these with my daughter and they came out so great!
Rae says
Made these with my son - fun and easy!