Dairy free shortbread cookies are a fun treat for everyone to enjoy. They’re perfectly sweet, crumbly, “buttery” and delicious! Plus, they only require 3 ingredients and are incredibly simple to make!
This recipe was originally published in December 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.
Do you make shortbread for the holidays?
These vegan shortbread cookies (also known as vegan sugar cookies) are my kiddos favourite treat!
While not the healthiest of choices, it’s the one time of year we can indulge a little without feeling guilty about it, am I right? 😉
Plus, it’s a great way to involve your little ones in the kitchen. My boys very eagerly help make these every year and the excitement it brings them is really priceless.
And don’t miss this collection of amazing Christmas desserts for even more ideas!
Why you’ll love them
- So easy! Just 3 ingredients needed, plus the optional glaze if you decide to glaze them. They taste great both with and without it.
- You can make them well in advance. Since this dairy free shortbread is super freezer friendly, you can plan ahead.
- Fun! Yup, they’re truly fun to make, and to eat! These festive cookies will be the highlight of your dessert table.
Ingredients
All you NEED is butter, flour and sugar for the basic shortbread recipe, but the vanilla does add delicious flavour. So if you have some on hand, I recommend including it.
How to make them
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Use a hand mixer to beat the margarine or butter in a large mixing bowl until nice and fluffy. (photo 1)
Then add the sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. (photos 2-3)
Add the flour, half at a time and beat until combined. You will have a crumbly texture as shown below. (photos 4-5)
Use your hands to collect the mixture and form a flattened disk shape at the bottom of your bowl Then cover in plastic wrap and freeze for 15-20 minutes. (photo 6)
Place a sheet of parchment paper on your kitchen counter and then roll out your cold dough on top to about ¼ inch in thickness. Use your favourite cookie cutters to make your cookies. (photo 7)
NOTE: The parchment prevents the dough from sticking to your countertop.
Carefully transfer the shortbread cookies to a parchment-lined tray and bake until the edges are lightly golden. (photo 8)
Optional Glaze
Once the cookies cooled prepare your glaze by combining the sugar, water and food colouring (if using). Then brush the cookies with the glaze and sprinkle them with your choice of candies. (photos 9-10)
NOTE: Cookies must be completely cool before glazing or the glaze may run off the edges of the cookies and the candies will melt.
Let the glaze dry for a few minutes and then enjoy!
PS. These make GREAT DIY gifts that are perfectly appropriate for a plant based Christmas, or anyone with a dairy allergy.
Just tie a ribbon around a stack of them, and how cute is that?? 😉
Storage
These dairy free shortbread cookies keep at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container, or you may refrigerate them for 1 week.
You may also freeze them for up to 2 months. Use a large freezer-safe container and separate the layers of cookies with parchment paper so they don’t stick to one another.
PS. Since these vegan shortbread cookies freeze so well, you may want to consider a double batch!
Variations
I made these dairy free shortbread cookies Christmas or winter themed but you can switch up your cookie cutters, icing and sprinkles to suit any time of year.
- Make a Halloween version using orange/red food colouring for the icing, black and orange sprinkles and pumpkin shaped cutters.
- Cut them into circles and keep the icing clear/white to enjoy all year long!
I have not tested a gluten free version yet, so for now, I do not have recommendations on using another type of flour.
Expert Tips
- Use cookie cutters with less detail for ease. Cutters with more grooves intricate patterns will be tougher to hold together when transfering to your baking sheet. Simple shapes like circles, hearts, or stars are less likely to break.
- Grease your rolling pin so it doesn’t stick to your dough. This will make smoother cookies, but don’t aim for perfection. The glaze and sprinkles will cover the tops of your cookies anyhow.
- If your rolling pin is still sticking to your dough, add a sheet of parchment paper on top and roll on top of the parchment.
- Use care when transferring your shortbread cookies to your baking sheet. The dough is soft, and the cookies can break if using too much force. I like to use a large fork or pie knife to scrape under the cookie first (to “unstick” them from the parchment), then slowly lift and transfer.
- But if any cookies break, don’t worry! You can gently press the piece back together with greased fingers. If it’s not salvageable, just add it to your discard pile for re-rolling for the next round.
- The thickness of your dough will determine the cooking time. If you roll your dough thinner, the cookies will bake faster, but if you roll the dough thicker, they will need a little longer in the oven. Start checking on them around the 10 minute mark to ensure they don’t burn.
- Allow your shortbread cookies to cool completely before glazing. If the cookies are too hot, the glaze will drip and run and the candies will melt.
- Once glazed, sprinkle the candies immediately, before the glaze sets, or they will not stick.
More Christmas desserts
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don't forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan margarine or softened butter
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour unbleached
Glaze (Optional)
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- 1 drop blue food colouring make sure to use a vegan brand if preferred, or skip and keep the glaze white
- candy sprinkles of choice make sure to use a vegan brand if preferred
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the margarine with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes, until fluffy. Then add the sugar and vanilla and keep mixing until combined.
- Add the flour half at a time and mix until combined. You will have a mixture that doesn't appear to hold together, but it will. Use your hands to shape the dough into a flattened ball at the bottom of your bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a large baking tray with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on your countertop and the cold dough on top. Flatten and stretch the dough using a greased rolling pin to approx ¼" thick. Then use cookie cutters to make your cookies. Carefully transfer the cookies to your baking sheet. Then re-roll the leftover dough, flatten again, and continue making cookies. Repeat until all the dough is consumed.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before glazing.
Optional Glaze
- Combine the icing sugar with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and mix well. If the glaze is too thick, add one more tablespoon and mix again. Then add a drop of food colouring, if using and mix to combine.
- Use a silicone brush to glaze the cookies and then sprinkle them with your candy. Make sure to add the sprinkles immediately after glazing while the glaze is wet so they stick. Set aside and let dry.
Diana says
What does crumbly dough mixture look like? Its my first time making cookies and my little brother has allergies. I didn’t know what it looked like so I thought i had to had more added more flour because i was mixing for a while and it still looked like it wasnt crumbly looking. It ended up tasting dry but it did taste good.
Rosa says
Hi Diana, after mixing the flour, the mixture will not be a ball of dough. What I mean by crumbly is that the mixture will be pieces of dough, not holding together. Then with your hands, you bind everything into a ball or disc shape. You shouldn’t need to add much, if any extra flour though.
Glad you enjoyed the cookies anyhow, and thanks for the review! I’ll make a note to take a picture of the dough mixture the next time I make these.
Katherine Libbos says
Made a double-batch with my 4-year-old son today. Did half with glaze and sprinkles. Other half we used icing ‘scribblers’ in different colors. My little guy has a severe allergy to dairy and it’s been so hard finding recipes he likes. He ate three of these before we could get the icing on. Big thumbs up!
rosa says
Yay, so glad these were a hit. Thanks so much for the feedback Katherine.
Samantha says
I don’t have a hand mixer – can I use a large stand mixer?
rosa says
Hi Samantha, yes absolutely, that work. Enjoy!
Melissa says
What a simple and easy recipe to make on a snowy day! Just made these with my son and we loved it. Not only did he love it my husband took a few for himself also. Love that they are dairy free and you don’t have to use butter just margarine! Thanks for the recipe!!!
rosa says
Thanks Melissa, so glad you all enjoyed. I make these cookies with my boys too. So fun 🙂
Denise says
Thank you so much for this simple recipe!!! I just made a double batch of these over the weekend and stuck some in the freezer. I made circles using a glass since I didn’t have any cookie cutters and they came out perfect.
rosa says
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave your feedback Denise. Glad you like them so much!
Jaime says
Made this today but skipped the icing and sprinkles. DELICIOUS
rosa says
Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Erika says
I’m of the mindset that shortbread is great all year round and these cookies were phenomenal!! I will definitely be making them again and again. Thank you!!!
rosa says
Thanks Erika! I’m totally of the same mindset! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Jess says
My daughter is lactose intolerant and we made these together today for her birthday this weekend. We used pink and purple candies and cut them into circles. Of course we sampled a few and these are so tasty! Thanks so much for this amazing recipe. I might have to make another batch because these won’t last till the weekend!
rosa says
That’s so great to hear Jess! Thanks so much for the feedback. Happy birthday to her. 🙂
Chrissy says
Just made these today and I’m so happy I found this recipe. My son can’t have dairy and he loved these! I made them all circles but will be making these again with fun Christmas shapes like in your photos once the holidays come around again.
rosa says
Thanks so much for the feedback Chrissy. Glad he enjoyed. Shortbread cookies are great all year round. 🙂
Edyta says
Oh my goodness, how cute are these? I love that there is no dairy in it. Awesome recipe 🙂
rosa says
Thanks so much Edyta!