Perfect sugar cookies (vegan)

These sugar cookies are a must have for the holiday season. Sugar cookies are one of the iconic holiday cookies out there. They’re sweet, soft, chewy and are always gorgeously decorated with icing and fun sprinkles.

Every year I would watch people eating their beautiful looking cookies wanting to have one all to myself but I never did because they were always too sweet for me.

The cookie on it’s own was already sweet and the addition of the icing just took it over the top for me.

I’ve tried looking for plain sugar cookies out there in the world and had absolutely no luck so being the baker that I am, I decided to whip up a batch of my own!

Make them fancy

Then, instead of topping these cookies with icing and sprinkles to add colour, these sugar cookies have crushed candy canes added to the dough to give them a light peppermint flavor and festive flair.

Afterwards, they’re topped with a decadent chocolate drizzle to add finesse.

Question of the day: What’s your favorite cookie cutter shape to decorate? Mine’s got to be snowmen and Christmas trees!

Perfect sugar cookies recipe

Ingredients (12 – 15 cookies)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg (for vegan, substitute with 3 tablespoons apple sauce)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies/candy canes
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla and milk. Whisk until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Add in the crushed peppermint candies. Mix until a dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
4. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit for 15 minutes so it becomes more pliable. Preheat the oven to 375F.
5. Roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper until it is 1/8″ thick. Cut shapes into the dough with cookie cutters. Make sure you maximize the surface of the dough because every time the dough is re-rolled, it will become tougher.
6. Transfer the cookies onto a lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 375F for 12 – 15 minutes until just golden brown on the bottoms.
8. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 10 – 15 minutes.
9. Melt the dark chocolate chips on a double boiler until it reaches a smooth consistency. If it is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it thins out to a thick but pourable consistency.
10. Pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag and pipe it onto the cookies in any way you choose.
11. Allow the chocolate to set before consuming.

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