Vegan Cut Out Cookies for Decorating, Soft and Chewy
Servings: 16
Calories: 236kcal
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!
Print Recipe
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.
Notes
Use stick vegan butter with the highest fat content available.
This recipe calls for one-half teaspoon salt. Do not be tempted to "round" the teaspoon when you measure. Make sure the level of salt is flat or even a little scant is okay. This is more salt than most sugar cookies call for, but I think really enhances the sweet slight almond flavor.
Depending on how large your cookie cutters are, you will have 16-20 baked cookies.
If your cookie cutters are the "open" type (a hard outline with nothing in the middle) then you are able to roll the dough to the recommended 3/8 inch thick. If your cookie cutters are the "closed" type (the shape is not open in the middle) then 3/8 inch will probably be too thick. Roll to one quarter inch thick and watch your baking time - check first at 6-7 minutes. If you are not sure about the types of cookie cutters mentioned then see the blog post for more details.
My favorite toppings for these cut out cookies are vegan buttercream frosting and Vegan Icing made with Karo Syrup. They each have their unique properties so read about each and decide which one you will use.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 539IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg