• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chelsea Peachtree
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Portfolio
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Portfolio
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Chewy Dairy Free Sugar Cookies (vegan)

    Chewy Dairy Free Sugar Cookies (vegan)

    Published: Jun 9, 2021 · Modified: Mar 27, 2023 by Chelsea Peachtree · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Share With Your Friends!

    10 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Dairy Free Sugar Cookies are soft, tender, and baked until lightly golden brown and chewy. Cut them into your favorite shapes and decorate with your favorite sprinkles, cookie icing, or colored with natural food dyes.

    Dairy free sugar cookies spaced out on on a pink surface with one broken in half

    If you haven't noticed, baking cookies is kind of my specialty. From my Vegan S'mores Cookies, Biscoff Butter Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, it's practically impossible to choose a favorite.

    But these sugar cookies are truly special. They're soft, buttery, and the best way to celebrate!

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Perfect for the holidays - Sugar cookies are one of those cookies that are perfect for any kind of holiday - switch up the sprinkles and/or frosting and dress these classic sugar cookies up for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas Day, Halloween, Easter, birthdays, bridal showers, etc!
    • Only 7 ingredients - Many vegan recipes over complicate things and add all sorts of unnecessary or hard to find ingredients. These dairy free and vegan sugar cookies are made with just 7 simple ingredients you likely already have on hand!
    • Ideal for food allergies - This recipe is free of several of the top allergens and can even be made without wheat, if desired.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    All the ingredients for the sugar cookies in bowls with labels
    • Flour - Either all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend will work well. I regularly use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour blend and have great results using it interchangeably for wheat flour. Note that this is not always the case with other gluten-free flour blends as all are made differently.
    • Sugar - For the best flavor and chewy texture, you'll need both white granulated sugar and brown sugar. If you prefer a richer, bolder tasting sugar cookie, use dark brown sugar. If you prefer them lighter tasting, use light-brown sugar. Do not replace the sugar with a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or agave. This will change the wet to dry ratio and will make the cookie batter too wet.
    • Dairy-free butter - If possible, dairy-free butter sticks are better over the softer butter spreads. Try butter from brands such as Earth Balance, Miyoko's Creamery (my personal favorite!), and Country Crock butter sticks.
    • Plant-based milk - Any unsweetened milk of choice will work. If you've recently made my Creamy Oat Milk Hot Cocoa or a Creamy Iced Oat Milk Latte, leftover oat milk will work perfectly.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Dairy fre Sugar Cookie dough mixed together entirely in a clear mixing bowl showing the crumbly nature
    1. Cream the dairy free butter. Add the butter into a large mixing bowl, then beat the butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds.
    2. Add the sugar and vanilla. Once the butter is soft and fluffy, add in the vanilla extract, white sugar and brown sugar. Mix again until well combined and slightly gritty in texture.
    3. Add the dry ingredients. Slowly add the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix again until just combined and a crumbly, soft cookie dough forms.
    4. Slowly pour in the milk. Mix again until a soft dough forms. The dough will seem crumbly, but when you press it together between your fingers, it will hold together.
    Cookie dough wrapped in saran wrap
    1. Chill the dough. Form the dough into a large, uniform ball, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until ready to bake.
    dairy free sugar cookie dough rolled out on a pink surface with a rolling pin
    1. Roll out the dough. Once the dough has chilled for at least 1 hour, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until approximately ¼ of an inch thick.
    The flattened dough cut out into circles
    1. Cut out the cookies. Using your cookie cutters of choice, cut the cookie shapes out and place them onto a greased baking sheet. Once you are unable to cut your dough into cookie shapes any further, ball up the remaining scraps, then roll it back out. Continue to cut the dough into shapes until you have no dough remaining.
    dairy free sugar cookie fully baked on a baking tray
    1. Sprinkle the cookies, if desired. If you are using sprinkles or colored sugar, sprinkle them on top, then lightly press in to the top of the cookies.
    2. Bake! Bake these dairy free sugar cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies have slightly fluffed up a little and gotten just a bit of color. When ready, they will look underbaked, but they continue to firm up as they cool!
    3. Cool, then enjoy! Allow the sugar cookies to cool for 15-20 minutes, then enjoy as desired!

    Storing and Reheating Instructions

    Once baked, these dairy free sugar cookies will keep best when stored in an airtight container at room temperature and will keep for up to 7 days. These baked sugar cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, layer the cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container. To prevent the cookies from sticking together, you can place a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers of cookies.

    Alternatively, the sugar cookie dough can be frozen before baking. Follow the recipe through step 5, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag, removing as much excess air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw completely in the refrigerator, then roll out and bake when ready!

    Time Saving Hacks

    This cookie dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance. To do so, follow the recipe through step 5, then tightly wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Then when ready to bake, pick back up with recipe step 6 and roll out the dough and bake as usual.

    Recipe FAQs

    What can I substitute for butter in sugar cookies?

    The best substitute for cow's butter in sugar cookies is dairy free, vegan butter. Vegan butter sticks are formulated to mimic the consistency and texture of cow's butter and is the best, most accurate ingredient swap.

    What non-dairy milk is best for cookies?

    I've tested these dairy free cookies using several types of non-dairy milk and really any milk of choice will work well! Oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, or even coconut milk are great examples. The only recommendation I have is to use an unsweetened milk - sweetened varieties will overly sweeten the chewy sugar cookies.

    Do frosted sugar cookies have dairy?

    Typically, yes. Buttercream frosting is one of the most popular choices for frosting sugar cookies and it almost always contains unsalted butter, heavy cream or another whole fat milk. Royal icing is another popular choice and while usually dairy free, it does usually contain egg, making it not vegan. If you're interested in frosting these dairy free sugar cookies, fill a piping bag with my vanilla buttercream that I use to frost my Vegan Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes. Or, if you prefer a boozy frosting, try my homemade Prosecco infused buttercream.

    Tips for Success

    • Do not over bake! Unlike other cookie recipes that develop a noticeable browning on the outer edges, these cookies should only become slightly golden. If the edges have started to brown, this is a tell-tale sign that they are over-baked and will be crunchy, not chewy.
    • Soften your butter ahead of time. It is essential to bake these cookies using softened butter. If you try to make these cookies with cold vegan butter, it won't cream properly with the sugar and will remain hard and crumbly. For best results, remove the butter from the fridge about 30 minutes prior to baking. Or, if you need to soften your butter as quickly as possible, check out these Easy Ways to Soften Butter quickly and easily.
    Dairy free sugar cookies (6) in a stack on a pink surface

    More Dairy-Free Desserts To Try

    • Starbucks Copycats Vanilla Simple Syrup in a jar on a white surface
      Copycat Starbuck's Vanilla Syrup (3 ingredients)
    • Tiramisu overnight oats in a glass jar with cocoa nibs and cocoa powder on top on a blue backdrop
      Quick Tiramisu Overnight Oats
    • Simple Dairy Free Banana Bread (vegan)
    • 25+ Best Dairy Free Brownie Recipes

    Chewy Dairy Free Sugar Cookies

    Chelsea Peachtree
    These Dairy Free Sugar Cookies are soft, tender, and baked until lightly golden brown and chewy. Cut them into your favorite shapes and decorate with your favorite sprinkles, cookie icing, or colored with natural food dyes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24
    Calories 116 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar packed
    • ¾ cup vegan butter softened (block butter is best)
    • ¼ cup plant based milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla

    Instructions
     

    • Add the butter into a large mixing bowl then beat the butter with an electric or stand mixer until it is light and fluffy, approximately 45 seconds.
    • Once fluffy, add in the vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar and mix until combined. The batter will be slightly gritty.
    • Slowly add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until combined. The batter will be on the crumbly side.
    • Slowly add in the milk and continue to mix until a soft dough forms. The dough will seem crumbly but moldable.
    • Roll the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap or a place in a reusable bag and place in the fridge for one hour.
    • Once the hour is up, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet, or grease a baking sheet.
    • Clean a flat surface area and spread approx. 2 tbsp of flour throughout it.
    • Place the dough ball on the floured surface. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll your dough out until it is approx. ¼ of an inch.
    • Using your cookie cutter, cut the cookie shapes out and place them onto the greased baking sheet.
    • Once you are unable to cut your dough any further, roll it into back into a ball and re-roll it out, then cut your cookie shapes again. You may need to add more flour to the surface.
      Continue to do so until you have used all of the dough. If you are using sprinkles or colored sugar, sprinkle it on top and lightly press it in.
    • Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies have fluffed up a little and turned slightly brown. They will seem a little under baked but they will firm up.
    • Let cool for 15-20 minutes. They will keep well for up to 7 days in an air tight container. You may also freeze them for up to two months.

    Notes

    TIPS
     
    Do not overbake. These pink sugar cookies are tricky, as they do not seem perfectly baked when they are actually done cooking.
     
    You will pull them out of the oven before they look totally done, then they will crisp up more while they are cooling.
     
    If your edges start to brown, you have overbaked them.
     
    Soften the Butter! If you bake with butter that is cold, your cookies will be hard. Over melted butter will let to soft dough that ends up all over the pain.
     
    Remove your vegan butter from the fridge about 30 minutes prior to baking to make sure it is not too soft or too hard. If you cannot cut your butter, it is too hard. If it is melting off your knife, it is too soft.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 91mgPotassium: 15mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 270IUCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
    Follow Me on Instagram!@ChelseaPeachtree #chelseapeachtree

    « Creamy Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip
    Famous Vegan Slutty Brownies »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Chelsea! I am the food blogger behind my blog, Chelsea Peachtree.

    Complicated recipes are not my thing, so here you will find vegetarian and vegan recipes using easy to find ingredients, with most taking under one hour to make!

    More about me →

    Lighter Bites

    • The Easiest Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit
    • Easy White Bean Buffalo Dip (vegan)
    • Vegan Black Bean Sheet Pan Tacos
      Easy Vegan Black Bean Sheet Pan Tacos
    • Low sugar brownies upclose on a pink surface with a bite taken out
      Fudgy Low Sugar Chocolate Brownies (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

    New Recipes!

    • 4 Ingredient Zucchini Pasta Recipe
    • 5 Ingredient Miso Tahini Dressing (no lemon juice, no oil)
    • Oat milk coffee creamer in a mason jar fully mixed together with all ingredients in the jar with blueberries next to it
      DIY Oat Milk Coffee Creamer Recipe (1 step, 4 ingredients)
    • Crispy Vegan Coconut Crusted Tofu Recipe (Easy)

    Picnic Favorites

    • vegan fruit dip in a pink bowl with strawberries on top and fruit next to it
      Creamy Vegan Fruit Dip
    • Creamy Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • 5 Minute Everything But The Bagel Dip (dairy free)
    • slutty brownie tilted upward to show the layers on a white surface with other brownies around it
      Famous Vegan Slutty Brownies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 ChelseaPeachTree

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT