Vegan Betty Crocker Inspired Sugar Cookies Recipe

Last Updated on November 28, 2021 by Guillermina

Vegan sugar cookies make for the center of attention on any occasion – especially the winter holidays! This recipe for Vegan Betty Crocker Inspired Sugar Cookies recipe is easy to make. Grab your electric mixer and don’t think twice – these vegan sugar cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth and be a crowd-pleaser.

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Vegan Betty Crocker Inspired Sugar Cookies

This recipe only uses 8 ingredients that are all commonly available at most grocery stores. An electric mixer, handheld or stand, is recommended to thoroughly mix the dough. The difficulty of this recipe is easy, so any level of baking experience can make these mouthwatering treats.

Here is what you’ll need for these vegan sugar cookies:

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan butter
• 1 cup vegan sugar
• ¼ cup plant-based milk
• 1.5 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 cup flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• Vegan sprinkles or icing (optional)

Equipment

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Electric mixer
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or reusable baking mat
• Wire cooling rack

Instructions

Step 1: Start mixing.

Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream together until the texture is smooth and light.

Step 2: Add ingredients.

Add the plant-based milk, corn starch, and vanilla extract to the large mixing bowl and beat together until blended.

Step 3: Slowly add the flour.

Mixing only 1 cup at a time, add 1 cup of the flour to the large mixing bowl and beat together at slow speed. Once mixed, repeat with the next cup. Add the remaining ½ cup flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and blend together.

Try not to over mix. The dough should be smooth and moist, not sticky or dry.

Step 4: Let it chill.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Cover the bowl for better results.

Step 5: Preheat the oven.

When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat.

Step 6. Roll it out.

When the dough is ready, scoop out cookie dough (~1 tbsp) and roll it into balls. Place each ball of dough on prepared baking sheets, with the option to press them down into a disc-like shape.

Step 7: Time to bake.

Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes on the middle oven rack. Cookies should be golden brown, soft in the center, and firmer on the edges. When finished baking, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Step 8: Decorate!

If you’re feeling festive, consider decorating the cookies with vegan sprinkles or icing.

Storage

These vegan sugar cookies can be kept for 3-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Otherwise, put them in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. Freeze baked cookies or the dough alone for up to 3 months. Thaw the baked cookies on the countertop or in the fridge for a few hours before enjoying them again.

To freeze the dough, prepare the recipe as is and roll it into balls. Store in a sealable freezer-safe container until you’re ready to bake. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, you don’t need to wait for the dough to thaw out. Just toss them on a lined cookie sheet and bake them for a couple of minutes longer.

Why Sugar Cookies Aren’t Always Vegan

Rest assured, these Vegan Betty Crocker Inspired Sugar Cookies are 100% vegan. There are several ingredients in standard sugar cookies recipes that aren’t vegan. When converting non-vegan recipes in the future, keep some of these vegan swaps in mind.

Eggs

Eggs are hard to replace when baking. They are used for a variety of things, including binding ingredients together, adding structure, and thickening dough. There aren’t any exact replacements for eggs, but there are a few vegan-friendly alternatives that can help to create a similar outcome.

Using flaxseed is one of the most popular vegan substitutes for eggs, sometimes referred to as a flax egg. To replace one egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and three tablespoons of water and leave it to sit for five minutes. The texture may be a bit chewier texture compared to using an egg, but the overall flavor should not be changed.

Applesauce can also be used to replace egg. The texture of the end product may turn out to be a little denser when using this method. For one egg, use ¼ c applesauce.

Milk & Butter

Dairy is commonly found in most baked treats – the good news is that there are plenty of vegan alternatives now! The variety of plant-based milks to choose from for vegan baking includes soy, rice, oat, coconut, and almond milk. They are all a little bit different, so some milk may be better to use for certain types of baked goods.

Vegan butters are plentiful as well, such as Earth Balance, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Good & Gather, and Miyoko’s. Some recipes will call for vegan butter or margarine. There is a difference between the two, so it’s important to note which one is being used in a baking recipe.

Sugar, Sprinkles & Icing

Surprisingly, some sugars aren’t vegan. Refined cane sugar is processed using animal bone char, which is enough for some vegans to keep it out of their diet. Vegan sugars are unrefined, such as organic cane, beet, coconut sugar, and raw sugar are all vegan.

When it comes to sugar cookies, sprinkles and icing typically aren’t vegan by default either. The non-vegan sugar is definitely a component here, but there’s another sneaky ingredient to watch out for: food coloring using artificial colors.

Shellac and carmine are two non-vegan ingredients to flag here. Used in confectioner’s glaze, shellac is made from the secretions of lac bugs. Carmine is a bright red food coloring that comes from a beetle.

Some vegan alternatives include plant-based dyes like lycopene and anthocyanin. There are many dyes used in the food industry that are tested on animals. Many vegans will seek out vegan-friendly icing to avoid this.

Conclusion

You can’t go wrong with this Vegan Betty Crocker Inspired Sugar Cookies recipe. Using simple ingredients, these vegan sugar cookies won’t disappoint. Let us know what you think in the comments!