Sugar Cookies

Soft, sweet, and buttery, these vegan sugar cookies are festive holiday treats that are perfect for virtually any occasion!  

Around Christmastime, I enjoy decorating my sugar cookies like snowflakes, Christmas trees, and candy canes!

These vegan food colorings are both colorful and cruelty-free!

You can also make these cookies into heart shapes for Valentine's Day.  I recommend replacing the vanilla extract with lemon extract, and mixing 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 to 2 tbsp. water, and 1 cup powdered sugar to make the icing!

For St. Patrick's Day, these sugar cookies can easily be cut into clover shapes and decorated with some green icing for a festive treat!

Recipe

Ingredients

Cookies:
3/4 cup vegan butter-flavored coconut oil (at room temperature)
3/4 cup cane sugar
2 tbsp. coconut milk*
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract**
2 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
*If the dough is too dry, you may need an extra 1 to 2 tbsp.
**You can use lemon extract instead for a more environmentally-friendly treat.

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 - 3 tbsp. water
A few drops vegan food coloring (until you attain your desired shade) 

Directions (Cookies)

1. In a large bowl, beat the vegan butter-flavored coconut oil with a hand mixer until creamy (about 1 minute).  Mixing on high speed, add the sugar and beat until fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes).
2. Add in the coconut milk, cornstarch, and vanilla extract and continue beating until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Add 1 cup of the flour to the wet mixture and sprinkle the top with the baking powder and salt.  Mix on low speed, until just combined and add another cup of the flour continuing to mix on low (make sure not to over mix).  The dough will look a bit crumby when it is in the bowl.  If it is too wet, add in the final 1/4 cup, and if it too dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp. of coconut milk.  
4. Scoop the dough and use your hands to form a ball.
5. On a flat surface, roll the dough into a layer about a 1/4 inch thick (If the dough starts sticking to the surface, sprinkle the surface with some flour).  Cut the dough into whichever shapes you please and place the cookies onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Form the leftover dough into a ball and roll it out once again to make more cookies.  Continue doing so until all of the dough has been used.  Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1/2 to 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly colored on top and around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing and letting cool.  They must be thoroughly cool before icing (the icing recipe is below). 
8. Decorate and enjoy!

Directions (icing)

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and the water until there are no clumps left.  If it is too thick, add some water and if it is too runny, add some more sugar.
2. Mix in a few drops of food coloring, until you attain your desired hue.  
3. You're ready to decorate!