Heart-Shaped Vegan Sugar Cookies
These vegan sugar cookies hold their shape perfectly and taste exactly like the buttery originals. No weird aftertaste, no crumbly mess.
The secret is using cold vegan butter and chilling the dough twice. Your Valentine won’t even know they’re plant-based.
Cold Vegan Butter Creates Flakiness
Room temperature vegan butter makes cookies spread too much and lose their heart shape. Keep your vegan butter in the fridge until you’re ready to cream it. The cold fat creates steam pockets during baking, giving you that tender, flaky texture that mimics traditional butter cookies perfectly.
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Roll Between Parchment Sheets
Skip the floured counter completely. Place chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to ¼-inch thickness. This prevents sticking without adding extra flour that makes cookies tough. The parchment peels away cleanly, and you can reuse it for baking the cut cookies.
Why Double Chilling Matters
Chill the dough before rolling, then chill again after cutting shapes. The first chill firms up the fats for easier rolling. The second chill prevents spreading during baking, keeping those heart points sharp and defined instead of melting into blob shapes.
Preventing Heart Shape Disasters
- Press cookie cutter straight down and lift straight up—twisting creates ragged edges that lose definition during baking.
- Gather scraps gently and re-chill before re-rolling to prevent tough, overworked cookies from excess flour incorporation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vegan butter brands work best for these cookies?
Earth Balance sticks or Miyoko’s European-style work perfectly. Avoid tub spreads—they contain too much water and make cookies spread excessively during baking.
How long do these stay fresh after baking?
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Layer between parchment paper to prevent sticking if decorated with icing.
Can I freeze the unbaked cookie dough?
Absolutely. Freeze cut shapes on baking sheets, then transfer to freezer bags. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to baking time.
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Heart-Shaped Vegan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- 2 large baking sheets
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Cream cold cubed vegan butter and granulated sugar with mixer for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in applesauce and vanilla extract until combined. Add 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk.
- Incorporate flour: Gradually mix in flour mixture on low speed until just combined. Add remaining milk if dough seems too dry.
- Chill dough: Divide dough in half, shape into discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut cookies: Roll one disc between parchment sheets to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into heart shapes and place on prepared baking sheets.
- Second chill: Refrigerate cut cookies for 15 minutes while preparing second batch.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring.
- Finish cookies: Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar or decorate as desired.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 cookie)
