Ready to whip up some festive vegan cookie treats that’ll hold their shape and taste amazing? Our vegan cut out cookies for decorating are just what you need for those special occasions. They bake to perfection without spreading, staying wonderfully soft and chewy instead of turning hard and crunchy. With a touch of almond extract, these cookies offer an extra layer of flavor that sets them apart. The combination of powdered and granulated sugar, along with a hint of agave nectar, gives them a delightful sweetness and texture that’s hard to resist. Get your cookie cutters ready – it’s time to bake!
Vegan Cutout Cookies: Festive, Flavorful, and Fun
I love making cut out sugar cookies. It’s so much fun! The best part is for sure decorating with vegan frosting or smooth decorating vegan icing. And of course, don’t forget the sprinkles. Frosted cut out cookies wouldn’t be the same without the sprinkles!
These cookies are perfect for decorating because they don’t spread and hold their shape perfectly, making them an ideal base for all sorts of artistic decorations. We are not actually expert cookie decorators in my house but we sure like to have fun trying!
You are going to love this recipe for vegan sugar cut out cookies because the cookies themselves – even without the frosting are tender and flavorful. They were developed from my vegan soft sugar cookie recipe because those were so tasty and soft and I knew I could come up with a (mostly) soft and tender cut out sugar cookie that was tasty too. I don’t know about you, but I hate a hard crumbly flavorless sugar cookie!
Vegan desserts are a joy to make. I love seeing the smile on my loved one's faces when they take that first sweet bite. The cookies are going to be a big hit for whomever enjoys that bite - vegans and non-vegans alike.
Ingredients needed to make vegan cut-out cookies for decorating
- ground flax and water to make a flax egg – But pay attention to the measurements in the recipe. We are using a little more ground flax than usual to make our flax egg.
- all purpose flour – It is important the you properly measure the flour or you will get hard dry cookies. See the blog post below for instructions and photos.
- salt – I don’t know why some cut-out sugar cookie recipes don’t include salt. We really do need it for the flavor.
- powdered sugar and granulated sugar – Yes, you read that right! We do use a combination of the sugars to give us cookies that are tender and that don’t spread. The powdered sugar is the secret ingredient. Use organic sugar if you are a sugar vegan.
- vegan butter – Make sure to use the highest fat vegan stick butter that you can find. Also, you need to actually like the taste of the vegan butter you use because the flavor will come through.
- agave nectar – That’s right, another special ingredient that helps makes these cookies moist and adds to the flavor.
- vanilla extract and almond extract – The almond extract is a little different from other sugar cookie recipes but I promise it adds to the delicious flavor of these cookies. You’ll only be using a little bit but it makes a difference. Almond extract can be found at most store next to the vanilla.
- You’ll also need a sturdy cookie sheet – this half sheet pan is my favorite cookie sheet! Parchment paper and of course your favorite cookie cutters!
How you can make the most tender vegan cookies for decorating that don’t spread!
The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.
Step 1: Before beginning
Normally recipes using an oven call for you to begin preheating your oven before starting. For this recipe you will be preheating your oven later after the dough chills. (When you do, set the temperature at 375℉)
Set the vegan butter out to soften if not already soft. You do NOT want it melted – only softened. When you press down on the butter it will easily indent – but your finger should not go through it.
Step 2: Make the flax egg
Make the flax egg by whisking together the ground flax seed and the water. Set the flax egg mixture aside while you are prepping the other ingredients. It should actually sit for about five minutes. In this recipe we use a little more flax than usual to make our flax egg so be sure to read the the measurements on the recipe card below.
Step 3: Accurately measure the flour
You’ll need to accurately measure the flour so that your cookies aren’t hard and heavy. If you just cram the measuring cut into the flour it is going to compact the flour and you will end up using more flour than the recipe calls for.
- First “lighten” the flour by stirring it about with a spoon to get some air into it.
- Next, take a spoon or smaller measuring cup and scoop out the lightened flour.
- Then shake the lightened flour into the measuring cup. You’ll be shaking the flour in the measuring cup until the level of the lightened flour is a little bit above the level of the measuring cup.
- Next, take a knife or other flat implement and cut the top of the flour all the way across the measuring cup.
- Finally, with one swift movement, use the same knife to swipe away the excess.
Now add the salt and mix with the flour. The reason we mix the salt with the flour in a separate bowl rather than just sprinkle them on top the wet mixture after the next step is because in the final mixing step, we don’t want to over mix, just to make sure the salt is distributed.
Steps 4: The butter, sugars, and Wet ingredients
Make sure your butter is properly softened. You don’t want it melted or warmed but still cool and and somewhat soft – not rock hard. If I have forgotten to set my butter out to soften before starting, I cut it into small pieces and set the pieces in the mixing bowl. It should be soft in minutes.
Add the powdered sugar and granulated sugar to the softened vegan butter with the granulated sugar and mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the agave nectar, vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flax egg and mix until everything is incorporated.
Step 5: Mixing the dry and wet together
Sprinkle the flour mixture on top of the wet/fat mixture as you are mixing. You don’t want to over mix, just mix enough so that the flour mixture has been incorporated. You might need to mix by hand at the end to bring it all together. Be gentle with the dough though – you aren’t kneading it, just bringing it together.
Finally chill the cookie dough mixture
When everything has been mixed well, cover with plastic wrap and set the dough in the fridge to chill for one hour. This is the minimum chill time. If you’d like to chill longer then that’s okay. If you make your dough ahead of time then just make sure it’s well covered.
Sometime during the last 30 minutes of dough chill time, preheat the oven to 375℉. Prepare two half-sheet baking sheets with parchment paper and set the oven rack in the middle position.
Time to bake cookies!
The best part about making cut out sugar cookies is rolling the dough and choosing the shapes you want to use. You’ve chilled your dough and it’s ready to roll and cut now.
Rolling the dough
Take a portion of the chilled dough – about one third of the dough. Press the dough into a flat disc on a piece of parchment. I don’t add more flour as I’m rolling the dough. If you work on parchment you won’t need to. If the dough becomes too sticky then it probably needs to chill a little bit longer.
Put the rest of the dough back in the fridge while working with this piece of dough. If the dough gets too warm and sticky to use then pop it all back in the fridge (or freezer) for a few minutes.
Next, use a rolling pin and roll to about one-fourth inch thick. Sometimes I roll my dough thicker, to three-eighths of an inch. It just depends on how thick you’d like your cookie to be. This recipe is very forgiving and works for both thicknesses.
I love this rolling pin with guides. It gives me precise measurement for thickness and ensures that my dough is just as thick on one side as it is the other.
Time to cut the cookies out
Cut the cookies out with your favorite cookie cutters. Place them as close as you can and press down. Give the cookie cutters a wiggle while they are still in the dough. This will help you to remove the cut out cookie shapes.
Remove the unused dough around the cut cookie shapes and place it in the fridge with the other dough. Gently remove the cut cookie shape with a spatula and place it on a cookie sheet. These cookies will not spread so you don’t have to give them lots of space. I still give some space though to make removing the baked cookies easier. I can get about 6-10 cookies on a cookie sheet depending on how large the cookies are.
Some things to watch out for when you cut your sugar cookies
These cookies do not spread or “meld together” in the oven; and so if there are any imperfections going into the oven, they will remain after the cookies have cooked. Remove any bits and pieces you don’t want to see when the cookies have baked.
The dough on the butterfly cookie had become too warm and sticky and so the cookie did not cut easily. It’s best to take a break and put the cookie dough back in the fridge or the freezer for a few minutes and start again.
Use the right cookie cutters for the dough thickness
An open cookie cutter will work with any dough thickness. A closed cookie cutter (with a top on part of it) will only work if your cookie dough is rolled to one-fourth inch, no thicker.
Time to bake the vegan cut out sugar cookies
Place the filled baking sheet in the oven and cook for 9-11 minutes. The first time you make these cookies do check for doneness at nine minutes. The cookies will be lightly browned on the outside and golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool on the pan for ten minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.
And repeat!
Make sure the cookie sheet you are using is completely cooled. You can probably get all of the cookies backed in three or four baking sessions. Make sure to chill the dough AND the cookie sheet before doing it again.
Decorating the cookies
My favorite decorating frosting is vegan frosting for cookies. This is a buttercream frosting and is so delicious on these sugar cookies! I also like vegan icing for cookies made with Karo syrup. This is more like a royal icing but dries softer (and you can’t do the really cool royal icing stuff with it.) And of course sprinkles!
The printable recipe card
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Vegan Cut Out Cookies for Decorating, Soft and Chewy
Equipment
- mixer
- cookie cutters
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Flax Egg
- 4 teaspoons ground flax
- 3 Tablespoons water
Flour Mixture
- 3⅓ cups all purpose flour sifted and measured
- ½ teaspoon salt scant
Butter Sugar Mixture
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegan butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- (You will be preheating your oven later after the dough chills. When you do, set the temperature at 375℉) Set the vegan butter out to soften if not already soft. You do NOT want it melted – only softened. When you press down on the butter it will easily indent – but your finger should not go through it.
- Make the flax egg by whisking together the ground flax seed and the water. Set aside while you are prepping the other ingredients. It should actually sit for about five minutes.4 teaspoons ground flax, 3 Tablespoons water
- Measure out the flour by "lightening" or sifting. See the blog post for photos. Add the measured flour along with the salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix together.3⅓ cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt
- In another larger bowl cream together the softened vegan butter with the granulated sugar and the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the agave nectar, vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flax egg and mix until everything is incorporated.¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 cup vegan butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 2 Tablespoons agave nectar
- Sprinkle the flour mixture on top as you are mixing. You don't want to over mix, just enough so that the flour mixture has been incorporated. You might need to mix by hand at the end.
- When everything has been mixed well, cover with plastic wrap and set the dough in the fridge to chill for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Prepare two half-sheet baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove about one-third to one-half of the chilled dough and form it into a disk. Work on a lightly floured surface and roll to about ¼ -⅜ inch thick (see notes). Cut out cookies using your favorite cutters. Remove and place on the cookie sheets.
- Bake at 375℉ for 9-11 minutes. The sides of the cookies will be lightly golden and the tops will no longer have that "wet" look about them.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about ten minutes. Use a spatula to remove the cooled cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before icing. I even pop mine in the freezer. In fact, you can easily make these cookies well ahead of decorating day and freeze before frosting.
- Gather any scraps of dough and refrigerate for another round. Repeat until all of the dough has been used and the cookies baked.