Celebrate any holiday with these soft and chewy vegan sugar cookies! They hold their shape beautifully while baking and are extra delicious topped with sweet strawberry frosting.
My vegan Christmas sugar cookies were a big hit over the holidays, and now they're back just in time for Valentine's Day!
Use cookie cutters to cut out cute holiday shapes for a festive treat. They're perfect for birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, or any day worth celebrating.
Top the cookies with my sweet strawberry buttercream frosting made using freeze-dried strawberries. The strawberries not only add a beautiful pink color to the frosting but also give it a burst of strawberry flavor.
Share these vegan sugar cookies with friends, family, or that special someone in your life.
Ingredients You'll Need
Eight simple ingredients are all you need to make soft, delicious vegan sugar cookies.
- All-purpose flour - Any brand will do. For a gluten-free option, use a measure-for-measure GF flour.
- Sugar - I use cane sugar, but feel free to use your preferred granulated sugar.
- Vegan stick butter - Earth Balance butter stick is what I use for these cookies. Other vegan brands should work just fine.
- Plant milk - Use any brand of unsweetened, plain, non-dairy milk. I use almond milk, but soy, oat, or cashew are good options.
- Cornstarch - This helps bind the cookies (like an egg would do) so they don't fall apart.
- Vanilla extract - This gives the cookies their classic sugar cookie taste. It can be replaced with another extract, but it will change the flavor.
- Baking Powder - The baking powder keeps the cookies soft. I don't recommend replacing it.
- Salt - The salt you have on hand is fine. I use Himalayan pink salt.
Frosting Ingredients
The real star of these cookies is the sweet strawberry frosting! It's made with five ingredients and comes together in minutes.
- Powdered sugar - Organic powdered sugar is usually 100% vegan.
- Vegan butter - Stick butter is best for the frosting. I like to use Miyoko's to keep the frosting white. If you're making all strawberry frosting, the butter color doesn't matter as much.
- Plant milk - Use any unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk you prefer. I like almond milk.
- Freeze-dried strawberries - The strawberries are blended into a powder and then used to flavor and color the frosting. If you want classic vanilla frosting, leave out the strawberry powder.
- Vanilla extract - This gives the frosting a pop of flavor.
How To Make Vegan Valentine's Day Cookies
Follow the simple steps below to make festive holiday cookies.
Start by beating the sugar and butter until creamy using a stand mixer or handheld mixer. Add the milk, cornstarch, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix.
Pour in 1 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined. Add another cup of flour and mix until a slightly stick dough forms, as pictured above.
Now, split the dough in half. Work each half into a ball with your hands. Flatten the balls into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if needed).
Remove the dough from the plastic and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Place another sheet on top. Roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness.
Tip: I use these helpful rolling pin guides (the blue strips above) for an even cookie thickness.
Then, use heart-shaped and Valentine-themed cookie cutters to cut out as many shapes from the dough as possible. Between cuts, dust your cutters with flour so the dough doesn't stick.
Transfer the cookie cut-outs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.
To Make Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Top your sugar cookies with this delicious strawberry frosting. It comes together in a few minutes and tastes like strawberries and cream.
- Start by making the strawberry powder. Add about ¼ to ½ cup of freeze-dried strawberries to a blender, NutriBullet, or clean coffee grinder. Blend into a fine powder. Keep it covered and set it aside.
- Add the butter to a medium bowl. Beat it with a handheld mixer to cream.
- Stop the mixer and add 1 cup of powdered sugar, the vanilla extract, strawberry powder, and 1 Tablespoon of plant milk. Mix on low speed until creamy.
- Mix in the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar. Add more milk as needed. The frosting should be soft and spreadable, but stiff enough to hold its shape.
Tip: If your frosting seems "melted," popping it in the fridge for about 15 minutes will help the butter solidify for a better consistency.
Baker's Tip
- Refrigerated dough: If the cookie dough is too hard to roll out, allow it to sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes or until it is soft enough to roll.
- Measuring flour: Use the scoop-and-level method to measure the flour correctly. Gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the flat edge of a butter knife.
- Storage: The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before rolling out.
Frosted cookies can be kept at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. - Two frosting flavors: To make strawberry and vanilla frosting like I did in the photos, split the frosting in half. Add strawberry powder (half the amount) to one batch, leaving the other vanilla.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to chill the cookie dough?
For the best cut-out cookie shape, chilling the dough is a must.
If you're impatient, like I can be at times, you can roll the dough right after mixing. But keep in mind the cookies can become misshapen while transferring them to the baking sheet. And they may spread while baking.
Yes, unfrosted cookies can be stored in the freezer in an airtight bag for up to 3 months. However, frosted sugar cookies don't freeze well.
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Recipe
Vegan Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Frosting
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ⅔ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup vegan butter stick, Earth Balance brand is best
- 3 Tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- ⅓ cup vegan butter stick,
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-3 Tablespoons plant milk, I use almond milk
- 1 Tablespoon powdered freeze-dried strawberries,
Instructions
For The Cookie Dough
- Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment), beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Pour in the vanilla extract, plant milk, and cornstarch. Beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the bowl and sprinkle in the baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Add the remaining 1 cup of flour and mix on low speed, then gradually move to medium-high speed until the dough is fully combined. The dough should be soft and easily stick together and there should be no dry flour in the bowl.
- Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disc. Wrap them each in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
Rolling and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper down on your work surface. Set the dough in the middle and place another sheet of parchment paper on top.
- Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness using a rolling pin. (If it is too firm to roll let it sit for 5-10 minutes)
- Dust your desired shape cookie cutters with flour. Cut out as many cookies as you can from the dough.
- Then, gather the extra dough around the cutouts and repeat the process.
- Transfer the cookie cutouts to the prepared baking sheets.
- Repeat the above steps to roll and cut out the remaining dough.
- Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes, until they begin to lightly brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack. Cool fully before frosting.
For The Frosting
- Use a high-speed blender, Nutribullet, or equivalent to blend your freeze-dried strawberries into a powder. Measure two teaspoons and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter until it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Pour in the vanilla extract, 1 Tablespoon of plant milk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Slowly mix in the remaining powdered sugar and strawberry powder (if using). Add more milk if needed. The frosting consistency should be soft and spreadale but stiff enough to hold its shape.
- Use a knife or spatula to frost the completely cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles as desired.
Notes
- Two frosting flavors: To make strawberry and vanilla frosting like I did in the photos, split the frosting in half. Add strawberry powder (half the amount) to one batch, leaving the other vanilla.
- Storage: The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before rolling out.
Frosted cookies can be kept at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. - Troubleshooting: If the dough seems dry, add a teaspoon of plant milk and mix until combined. If it is too wet, add 1 Tablespoon of flour (or as needed) and mix.
- For an even thickness: I use these silicone guides and this rolling pin to roll the dough to an even thickness every time.
Nutrition
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
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