Welp, it’s that time of year. The one where you put your skinny summer jeans away and bust out the yoga pants because ALL THE COOKIES.
It’s the all-the-cookies time of year, and I’m starting with vegan shortbread, because – why not?
When I thought about all the types of cookies I like to eat during the holidays, I couldn’t stop thinking about the little shortbread cookies that you get out of the little red tin with reindeer and snowmen on it. I know. Of all the cookies in the world, these are the ones that pop into my head.
This is likely because my mom’s business would host an open house every year during the holiday season. And every year, she would serve these. I would steal handfuls of them and eat them all while hiding under a table with my sister.
Did I mention the business is a gym? Where you’re supposed to be healthy and fit and eschew all sorts of cookie-shaped temptation? I obviously didn’t get that gene…
So, I set out to make my favorite cookies this year, a vegan rendition because that’s how I prefer to bake.
If you don’t like to use fake butter, or if you’re not a vegan, you can just use the real stuff. They will be amazing.
But I have to say, this vegan version turned out so well! When I designed the recipe, I had a few necessities in mind. They had to be:
- Crunchy
- Crisp
- Buttery (tasting)
- With a chocolate option
- And delicious
And these totally fit the bill.
They’re actually really easy to make, though they do require a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can check out our in-depth reviews of some of the best models on the market here. Then, get your booty on into the kitchen and make these!
I decided to dip these in melted chocolate, and then I gave them a sprinkling of sea salt or ground espresso beans. I honestly couldn’t decide which ones I liked best! They are both so good.
I also made some that were glazed with a simple powdered sugar icing flavored with lemon juice and zest. These weren’t my favorite, but AJ loved them. If this sounds like it’s your jam, then stir some of that up and give it a go!
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Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 32 cookies 1x
Description
Making these vegan shortbread cookies is the perfect way to celebrate the holidays. Dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt or ground espresso beans, they’re so good!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oat flour
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 13 Tbsp cold vegan margarine, cut into 1/2″ cubes (I used Earth Balance)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips, plus more if necessary (optional)
- Sea salt (optional)
- Ground espresso beans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the flours, cornstarch, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Add the margarine to the bowl, then use the paddle attachment to mix on low speed until a smooth dough is formed – this will take 5-10 minutes. It’ll start out really crumbly and you’ll think you’ve done something wrong, but keep going; it’ll get there.
- Grab a handful of the dough and form it into a rough ball. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a sheet 1/4 inch thick.
- Use a biscuit cutter to cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch circles. Place on a prepared baking sheet spaced about 1/2 inch apart (they don’t spread much). Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, until just starting to turn golden on the edges.
- Remove from the oven, then use a toothpick to poke 5-6 little holes in each cookie – this lets extra steam escape and helps them crisp up. Transfer to a cooling rack.
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds on 50% power, then stir. Continue in 30-second increments until fully melted (it’ll take about a minute and a half total).
- Dip the cookies in the melted chocolate, then place on some parchment and sprinkle with sea salt or some ground espresso beans. Place in the refrigerator to let the chocolate harden.
Notes
If you’re not vegan, regular unsalted butter will do – and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
Some people say Earth Balance in stick form can have an off flavor. It’s not usually noticeable in recipe that are less butter-intensive, but if you’ve noticed before that you don’t like it, then use whatever other vegan butter substitute you prefer. I have only tested this with Earth Balance, so I can’t guarantee results for other substitutions.
These store best in the fridge – the chocolate may become sticky at room temperature.
Nutritional information below includes chocolate coating, without additional salt or ground coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: vegan desserts, holiday baking, cookie, shortbread, dairy-free
Better Buttery Baked Goods
Whether you’re vegan or not, I can almost guarantee that you will love these crisp, buttery slices of goodness. And it’s so much fun to coat them with your favorite toppings!
If you’re looking for even more delicious vegan cookies to make at home, give these recipes a try:
What are your favorite types of baked goods to make and enjoy at this time of year? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to give this recipe a five-star rating if you loved it!
Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on December 7, 2015. Last updated: December 31, 2019 at 21:37 pm. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Raquel Smith
Raquel is a whole foods enthusiast, an avid mountain biker, and a dog lover. She works by day at Food Blogger Pro and formerly maintained her food blog "My California Roots" (now merged into Foodal).
Shortbread has to be one of my all-time favorite types of holiday cookies. I love that they aren’t too sweet and you can dip them in all kinds of good! I like your idea of sea salt and espresso beans. I think I’ll do both! Love that you made these vegan too:)
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Leslie! I also love how much of a blank slate shortbread cookies are. I just had a thought that I should have dipped them in vanilla icing and covered them in crushed candy canes. You should do that! 🙂