The tasty recipe for the dough comes from the link below.
It's never too early to start baking goodies for the holidays! This vegan sugar cookie recipe is so tasty you'll want to bake them all year long.
How to:
On the website Loving It Vegan, Alison Andrews illustrates the perfect sugar cookie recipe. Even my friends and family are unable to tell that these cookies are vegan. They are buttery and mouthwateringly delicious. I find this recipe doesn't make that many cookies, so I double it almost every time. Below are the ingredients needed for a single batch of these cookies and the frosting.
All this recipe takes is:
Cookies
1/2 cup Vegan Butter (or 1 cup for a double batch)
3/4 cup Organic Sugar (or 1 1/2 cups for a double batch)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract (or 2 tsp for a double batch)
1/4 tsp Almond Extract (or 1/2 tsp for a double batch)
2 cups All-Purpose Flour (or 4 cups for a double batch)
1 tsp Baking Soda (2 tsp for a double batch)
1/4 tsp Salt (1/2 tsp for a double batch)
2 Tbsp Non-dairy Milk (you will need a lot more, but you start with this)
Frosting
1 cup Organic Powdered Sugar (2 cups for a double batch)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (1 tsp for a double batch)
1 Tbsp Non-dairy Milk (2 Tbsp for a double batch)
1 Tbsp Vegan Butter (2 Tbsp for a double batch)
I start the baking process by cleaning my countertops and setting out all of my ingredients and baking supplies. I would also highly recommend designating an area for rolling out your dough and flouring it after it is cleaned. Once my surface is ready, I preheated the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and greased a baking sheet with olive oil. I then combine my Earth Balance Butter and my organic sugar in a big mixing bowl. Once combined I add the vanilla extract and almond extract. For these, I go over the required measurement and add almost double the amount for both. The first time I made these cookies, I read in the reviews that they tasted a bit like baking soda. Doubling the vanilla extract masks this undesirable flavor.
I sifted the flour into a separate mixing bowl and added the baking soda and the salt. When it comes to baking, I always add about half of the required amount of salt. My mother taught me this salt tip when I was very young, and I have never needed to add more.
Once combined, slowly add the dry ingredients into the sugar-butter mixture. The recipe states that you should use your hands for this, but I find that a little preemptive before adding the soy milk. I used a fork to mix the dough until it needed more moisture. I washed my hands and began adding the soy milk. Unlike the recipe, I didn't use 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk. I probably used something closer to 1/4 cup or maybe more. The key is to get the dough to stick together but remain somewhat crumbly. Keep in mind that if you add a little too much liquid, you can always add a tiny bit of flour to get it to the best texture.
Once combined, move your dough into a ball and transfer it to your pre-floured surface. Spread it out with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4 inch thick, or thicker or thinner, depending on how you like your sugar cookies. However, beware of making them too thin, as the thinner they are, the easier they will break. After spreading out your dough, prepare your cookie cutters and begin the fun process of creating little holiday figures!
Cutting out the little cookie figures was always one of my favorite parts about making holiday cookies. If you want to set aside the cookie cutters and freestyle a few, I would highly recommend it. Last year, my family and I made a very fat unicorn out of the dough, and it ended up being everyone's favorite.
After shaping enough for one batch, transfer them to the pre-oiled baking sheet. Keep in mind that these cookies can be pretty close together as they don't expand very much in the oven.
Once in the oven, set a timer for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them if you leave them in any longer, as they get brown pretty fast. I like baking them for about 13-14 minutes, so they are a little crunchy. But these make tasty cookies regardless of their softness.
With the remaining dough, form it back into a ball and re-roll it, repeating the above process. I find it hard to use all of the extra dough, as it is very tasty raw.
When the cookies are all pre-shaped and in the oven, you can begin preparing your frosting. I used the Loving it Vegan recipe as a template but ended up crafting my own. In a bowl, add the organic powdered sugar, vanilla, non-dairy milk, and vegan butter. Using a hand mixer, blend all the ingredients until they form a creamy, thick consistency. Keep in mind that if your frosting is too thick, you can add more almond milk, and if it's too thin, you can add more sugar. I would highly recommend tasting it to get it to your desired flavor.
Normally when I make holiday cookies, I use food dye to decorate them. This year, I used sprinkles instead! Using food dye makes the decorating process much more of an artistic experience. First, you should determine what colors you want to use, and then separate the frosting in that many bowls, adding a designated color to each.
Once your cookies are out of the oven and cooled, you can begin the frosting process. Growing up, we would cover the dining room table with waxed paper with cookies on top and frosting in the center of the table. My entire family would participate in the traditional cookie decorating. It was always so fun to see the hilarious and creative ways we all could decorate. When you are finished decorating, your cookies can be stored in a Tupperware with wax paper dividing the vertical layers.
I hope you enjoy making these delightful holiday treats! And don't forget to share them with your loved ones!
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