I ate two straight from the oven:
Oh my sprinkles, they are so good.
So soft.
So sweet.
So perfect.
It’s officially December now, which means you have a great excuse to make cookies. Why not go ahead and bake a batch of these to find out if your self-restraint is better than mine? (As if anyone needed an excuse to bake cookies.)
The perfect sugar cookie should be fluffy, buttery, and so incredibly delicious that it makes you want to polish off the entire batch in a single sitting. This recipe fulfills all of the above requirements… and yet these cookies are whole-grain, lower in sugar, and cholesterol-free at the same time.
Yes, healthy sugar cookies!
(Edited to add: These are the same cookies I brought to the Giants’ party.)
Healthy Sugar Cookies!
- 3/4 cup ww pastry flour (or ap flour, or Arrowhead Mills gf mix)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt (just under level)
- 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup white sugar, or sucanat, coconut sugar, or evaporated cane juice
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1/4 cup vegan butter sub, such as Earth Balance (Some readers say you can use coconut oil, but I haven’t tried it.)
Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. In a separate bowl, melt the vegan butter, then stir in vanilla and milk. Pour dry into wet and mix again. Form balls or roll out (not too thin), then use a cookie cutter to make shapes. If you want soft cookies, you’ll need to get the dough very cold. (So roll the balls first, then fridge until cold.) Cook in a 325F preheated oven for 9 minutes. They will look very underdone when you take them out, but that’s ok!! Just let them cool for 5 minutes before touching. (I know it’s hard!)
Stats are similar to my snickerdoodles: Calories and Nutrition Info.
These cookies will keep at least four days, in a lidded plastic container. (As a general rule, you should store soft cookies in plastic containers and crispy cookies in glass ones.)
Question of the Day:
Do you bake cookies during the holidays?
My grandma loved baking Christmas cookies more than anyone else I know. Each year, she’d make at least ten different kinds of cookies. Michelle and I liked to help: she helped by rolling out the dough… and I helped by eating all the finished cookies! My grandpa nicknamed me “Cookie Monster” because, even before my head was tall enough to reach the table, I was stealing cookies off the tray. Some things haven’t changed much 
.
If you want some good ideas: Healthy Cookie Recipes.
{ 214 comments… read them below or add one }
Last year took part in the office’s ‘cookie exchange’ where you made 6 dozen cookies and packaged up 6 in a bag and then you got 12 different 1/2 dozen cookies in return. Lots of different things to try.
Only I realized I like MY cookies better than most other people. I’m a fan of butter, not margarine, and I like knowing what ingredients went into the cookies. So this year I am thinking if I do make cookies, I’ll just make 1/2 batches so there’s less scattered around tempting me.
I am totally like your grandma! I love baking tons of different things at Christmas and making platters for people.
Katie I have a totally random question for you! What is your system for storing ingredients? I love buying different types of flour, sweeteners, etc. etc. but it’s hard to keep them organized. maybe because my pantry is deep rather than wide/shallow, but things seem to get lost in there! Do you have containers you’ve found that work really well?
I’m definitely not a good person to ask lol. I guess you could say that I’m organized in that I know where everything is… but it certainly doesn’t LOOK organized!
Haha I am totally the same way. I do know where everything is, but it is just one big mess in there. I’d like to count myself as a “organized mess” but I secretly think it’s just because I have a good memory.
Hello Katie and THANK YOU!!!!! AND a BIG THANKS to WFAA Chanel 8 for bringing your story to the public. I work in a highschool setting and needless to say there is no lack of “goodies” that teachers/staff bring to share. Well my personal motto this year is “I want to bake the cake and eat it too in a healthier way”. I’ve always been conscious of how I bake and cook leaving just a little sugar or butter that is normally called for and it really doesn’t change the taste or texture but thanks to you I’m omitting/exchanging alot more than that. With that in mind I made the chocolate chip/garbanzo cookie and brought it to work. I’ve let everyone taste it and they LOVED it!!! When I told them the ingredients the mouths dropped and wanted the recipe. Thanks again and I’ll be “having my cake and eating it too” and sharing it with family and friends.
Aww thanks for such a sweet comment! I’m so glad you found my site
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I’ve never made sugar cookies before so I’ll try this recipe! The colours of those photographs are beautiful!
Wow, yum! Will have to try.
Question – how’d you make the icing?
It’s actually just Pillsbury. The sugar cookies taste so yummy without icing, but I decided to use it for the photoshoot to make them LOOK prettier. (Oddly enough, Pillsbury frosting is vegan!)
I always cook (or don’t cook? Unbaked cookie dough counts as cookies, right?) cookies during the holidays! And bars….
Did you make that frosting? I love frosted cookies!
It’s actually just Pillsbury. The sugar cookies taste so yummy without icing, but I decided to use it for the photoshoot to make them LOOK prettier. (Oddly enough, Pillsbury frosting is vegan!)
But if you did want to make a frosting, maybe try my vanilla-fudge frosting?
I am TOTALLY making these within the next hour.
Isn’t the point of sugar cookies to have a good amount of…sugar in them. By making “lower sugar sugar cookies” with 1/4 cup sugar, this doesn’t make them sugar cookies, it makes them whole wheat biscuits.
No, because they still TASTE like regular sugar cookies, not biscuits.
And for those of us who have to watch our sugar intake (diabetes) a lower sugar option that still tastes just like a sugar cookie is very much appreciated!!
(And even if they did taste like whole-wheat biscuits, pretty sure any recipe of Katies would be delicious)
Looks amazing! Sugar cookies have too much sugar, this is a great alternative for those who love cookies but don’t want that much sugar!
LOVE your pictures, Katie!
About how many cookies did you get from this recipe? Looks great!
It depends on how big you cut/roll them. I really don’t know, because I made some balls and some cookie-cuttered shapes.
Great idea grandma! These cookies looks so bright and beautiful! Want one right now! Thanks Katie!
I am having a christmas cookie decorating party in a few weeks and this seems like the perfect recipe to whip up for the kids to decorate! But, how do they bake, would they hold their shape well if made with christmas cookie cutters?
I bet we will be eating a TON of cookies that day, so a healthier version might be a great idea!
Yes, you can totally use cookie cutters!
Oh, delicious!!!
I LOVE baking cookies year-round, and at Christmas is my favourite. Instead of regular presents, most people I know get a huge tin of cookies from me instead. Gingerbread, ANZAC biscuits, shortbread, sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin, and lots of slices and squares too. Mmm… I think I’ll start some Christmas baking this weekend!
Ahhh I love Anzac biscuits! Are you from Australia?
Yum! Did I miss a link to the frosting – I didn’t think I could see it in the post…but these look amazing! Can’t believe the calorie count!
It’s actually just Pillsbury. The sugar cookies taste so yummy without icing, but I decided to use it for the photoshoot to make them LOOK prettier. (Oddly enough, Pillsbury frosting is vegan.)
LOVE sugar cookies!!!! That is truly one great idea of inspiration!
Mmmmmmm!
I have never heard the tip on cookie storage – plastic vs glass. Thanks for sharing. These cookies look delicious!
The holidays is when I baked the most, my oven is working non-stop. I love that I get to try all different recipes and I get to have a taste and then give them away to friends and family during our holiday parties.
Love the pink icing. Do you have a recipe for that too?
It’s actually Pillsbury. The sugar cookies taste so yummy without icing, but I decided to use it for the photoshoot to make them LOOK prettier. (Oddly enough, Pillsbury frosting is vegan!)
But if you did want to make a frosting, maybe try my vanilla-fudge frosting?
I always bake tons of cookies during the holidays! I love making a bunch of different kinds, and then giving out cookie platters to friends, neighbors and family! It’s such a great excuse to bake.
I am always looking for a healthier sugar cookie recipe – might be trying these tonight!
Yes I do bake for the Holidays. This year I’m going to be giving some vegan cookies along with presents. I think it’s a nice way to open people’s minds.
I just have to say that your hair is gorgeous in your last post. Like, gorgeous. Cen we please trade?
Ohhhh… these cookies. I’m going ot have to try them and attempt to refrain from eating more than two out of the oven. ha! And sprinkles just make everything better.
My mom makes the best sugar cookies, but I swear she uses soooooo much butter. I’m going to have to give her some competition with these.
Aww, Kristin, thank you so much! I love when my hair is curled… but I hate curling it! Such a pain lol.
When I read “Healthy Sugar Cookies” in my twitter feed, it felt like pretty much all of my dreams came true. I LOVE those darned soft sugar cookies (I usually get my daily chocolate requirement from my coffee, or actual chocolate, don’t worry) and knowing that I can make them healthier is so. Super. Exciting!!!
Totes making these when I have oven access!
Oh HECK YES I am making these tonight! I have been WAITING for a sugar cookie recipe! The snickerdoodle one was awesome, and I have been looking for any excuse to bake those again. My fiance gets so mad at me for baking because he can’t help himself eating all the cookies, but now that I’ve found healthy ones he BEGS me to bake them all the time! So thanks, Katie!
And LOL at how many people don’t read the other comments before asking. The frosting is Pillsbury! YUM!
Haha YES! I think I said the same thing five times lol!
I am glad you posted a sugar cookie recipe, I love sugar cookies.My grandma & me would bake around my birthday because it’s two weeks before chirstmas.
Yum!!! These look fantastic!!! I’m thinking about baking a lot of goodies this holiday season and giving out bags of them as Christmas presents.
YES, who doesn’t bake cookies during the holidays? My mother always make her traditional Hanukkah-shaped sugar cookies, with a frosting and sprinkle topping. They look somewhat like what you’ve got above, except in dreidel shapes, with blue and white frosting, and likely far less healthy.
I usually bake some treats for my friends; this year I’ll be trying out some of YOUR recipes!
Soft sugar cookies are my favorite to bake! Cant wait to try these ones!
I am already a baking fiend and the holiday’s just give me one more reason to fire up the oven! These sugar cookies sound yummy!
These look great! I love that you managed to make a delicious sugar cookie with minimal sugar, too.
The pink icing is very cute, and I’m a fan of anything with those rainbow sprinkles. Adorable!
Yum! Cookie baking is my absolute favorite part of the holidays!
Christmas means sugar cookies! And these look delicious!
thanks for making me drool all over my keyboard.
yummmm! and your raw gingerbread cookies made it onto my blog today! cannot wait to whip up a batch for the boyfriend!
Katie,
How long do you think I could make the dough in advance & keep in the fridge? I am getting ready to head out of town tomorrow to join vegan friends for our 3rd annual CHristmas cookie baking day, I am in charge of bringing the sugar cookie dough. Today this came across my FB wall – it must mean it’s “the One” I’m meant to bring
We are not baking until Saturday but I want to mix a bunch of this dough tonight (Thursday). Okay you think? ALSO – do you think this dough will work with the new cookie stamps being sold? I bought some to use along with cutters. THANK-YOU!
Hmmm… I think it will last around 3-4 days in the fridge (at least). But you could always roll into balls and then freeze the balls. Just thaw a little before cooking them, after you take them out of the freezer. Then they’ll last for months!!
Oooh, yes! My family bakes LOTS of Christmas cookies (and other goodies) during Christmas time! It is the time of year when we pull out all the baking stops and pull out every family cookie recipe from old cookbooks and pour out every bit of love and joy in our creations! Rolled out and cut sugar cookies, using my great grandmother’s tin shaped cookie cutters and wooden rolling pins, and decorated with frosting, sprinkles, and little candies, are the number #1 cookie of the season, and our freezer is always filled with them (for a little while…. we end up baking these guys once every few days because we eat them faster than anything!).
I also like baking gun cookies (the cookie dough is pressed out of a cookie gun to form a spritz cookie, which is doused in colored sugar or sprinkles).
Just finished making these (and cooling them!
and they are absolutely delicious! This is our first holiday season while following a vegan diet, so it’s a whole new baking experience for me. Thanks for helping make it both fun and delicious! 
So cute and festive! Can’t wait to make these
Mmm I’m not that into sugar cookies (I’d rather have chocolate!) but when you add on frosting and sprinkles, I’m all about them! My favorites are those cheap ones from the grocery store that they have for all the holidays? I find them delectable so this is a good replacement! My Grandma goes all out when it comes to Christmas cookies too! She makes tons of different kinds!
December definitely means Christmas cookies! These look yummy.
What beautiful cookies! They resemble a certain soft, sugary, delicious (but not nutritious) frosted cookie sold at grocery stores…(*hint, it starts with ‘loft’)…will definitely try these cookies! I usually make a sugar cookie from an old Double Day cookbook of my mother’s because they are the perfect combination of firm and soft. They aren’t too sweet and the dough works very well for cutting shapes and then frosting. At Christmas, my sister and I always make gingerbread cookies! I have also made candy cane twists, chocolate with peppermint sprinkles, and various others for parties. Thank you for making a healthy recipe!
So festive! These would be fun for a decorating party. I don’t do much baking over the holidays, I’m more into the cooking thing!
Mmm these look heavenly! I will come up with any excuse to bake cookies. I love baking cookies in general, but Christmas cookies and Christmas baking in general is my favorite! Also, good to know about storing soft vs. crispy cookies – I never knew that!
those cookies look so bright at pink, just like the smoothie next to me that is cherry based.
I have a question: what happens if you don’t follow those storage rules with the cookies? I usually just store everything in glass because I don’t care for plastic.
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure! I hear you on the plastic thing. I make sure to get bpa-free containers.
Also, someone must’ve seen my post a long time ago about the bake sale… this girl (Rebecca) asked me for the recipe for your cookies! She asked how to contact you, but I don’t want to give your email address out without your consent so I thought you could contact her if you wish. Here’s her profile if you’re interested in getting in touch with her: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1224767111
these look delicious katie! totally adding them to my “cookies to bake this holiday season” list!
So these are soft cookies? I know you mentioned they are soft,I just want to make sure they’re what I’m looking for.I’ve been searching for a vegan recipe for soft,chewy sugar cookies. All I’ve found are the hard cut-out kind.
Yes, these are very, VERY soft! But make sure the dough is nice and cold before cooking! And also make sure you don’t overcook them. Otherwise they’ll get hard and crispy.
I ♥ baking christmas cookies!! I am like your granny
These pics are absolutely gorgeous!!!!
My colleagues and I are having a bake off before winter break. They’re choosing 3 types of cookies and I’m going to make them the healthy way, and they are going to make them the normal way. Sugar cookies are going to be one of the cookies! I’m totally going to use your recipe! Generally I’m gluten-free, but I won’t be doing the judging, so this will be great!
Oh wow, that sounds so fun! What a good idea!
Do you bake cookies during the holidays? = Is the sky blue?
These look so good and love the pink!! frosting and sprinkles. They look like they would melt in my mouth and soooo good!
Hehe, I go crazy baking our family’s favorite Christmas cookies every year! Cookies are the one thing I can afford to give people as gifts that they can’t get anywhere else, or buy for themselves.
I am happy to have discovered your blog-this year I can sneak some healthy options in the mix:)
SHUGS COOKAAAAYS
Hey Katie! I’m a 19-year-old college student who has been following your blog for a decidedly lengthy period of time without coming out and introducing myself (not because finding desserts whimsical, merry, and childhood memory-inducing is shameful, but because most people attach a bit of stigma to those who strive to be healthy). I so appreciate your offering healthier dessert alternatives, not because I think indulging in them disguises an attempt to deprive myself (I have no problem with your desserts’ full-fat, full-calorie counterparts, in moderation), but because it’s fantastic to be able to feel good about treating myself on a more semi-regular basis. Not to throw stones or name names (ah, the age where it’s socially acceptable to hide behind screen-names), but I’ve heard that certain people online like to accuse your recipes of being triggering to those with eating disorders. Whether this is or isn’t the case for some (really anything can be triggering to different people, I’ve found, including cookbooks full of comfort food . . . you can’t win), I can attest to the fact that I find your writing charming, your recipes sweet, indulgent, and delicious, and your weakness for chocolate something that I can certainly sympathize with. Please continue to do what you’re doing. The naysayers need to jump in a vat of chocolate of something.
Hi Avery
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! Yeah, I think I probably know the forum you’re talking about… I did read it a few times, but they were just saying the same things over and over again (most of which was untrue and hurtful). It really hurts to read things like that about yourself, so I forced myself to stop reading it completely. I know the people there must be going through their own issues. Normal, happy people don’t spend their day writing mean things about others.
(Also lol I agree with you about eating normal desserts. I actually want to do a post about it sometime in the near future. My blog is based on healthy treats, but that doesn’t mean I always only eat healthy treats! If my friend makes me vegan brownies, with white flour and lotsa sugar, those suckers are GONE!
)
Wow…really? There’s a forum out there with CCK haters? How is that possible?! You’re like…the sweetest (pun intended
) blogger in the dessert blogging world!!! I have never found any of your posts to be triggering…. But your right, everyone is different, and as Avery said, you can’t win with everyone. It’s much like when we get a new president. We vote him in to office, yet there’s ALWAYS someone who ends up hating him 
lol
Keep it up Katie….99.99999% of the people who come across your blog LOVE it….that’s what matters.
Yeah, there is
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Thank you so much, Anna. Your kind comment really means a ton to me. I can’t even tell you how much!!
I love the fact you are totally cool with eating actual ‘naughty’ things too! It could be very easy to feel as though you should keep up a constant ‘example to others’ as you have become such a role model in many ways, and i imagine that would just get you down. it’s simply about stricking a balance for yourself and you seem to do that so well.Getting that balance is what i also aspire to…..keep going!!
I love baking cookies any time of year, but there’s just something special about baking Christmas cookies. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy
Beautiful cookies, Katie.
Your photos are gorgeous 
Ok, how did this happen? that I, who checks your blog 10 am and counting, am checking at 4:30? well all i have to say is… OH. NO. YOU. DIDN’T. I am makin these stat. Perfect with a gingerbread latte, no? Done and done
I can’t WAIT to make these!! I LOVE YOU KATIE for making the best things vegan and easy to make!!
I make gingerbread cookies every Christmas and hang them on our tree! Maybe this year it’ll be sugar cookies instead
Those sugar cookies look amazing – I would have eaten seven straight from the oven!
How many cookies does this recipe make?? I’m trying to plan. =)
It depends on how you roll them (balls, shapes, etc). I rolled some balls and some circle cookie cutters, so I really don’t know how many it made!
yes! xmas is my fav time of year for the cookie baking!
and these look scrumptious
I am baking lots of cookies this year! I am posting 12 days of Christmas cookies (1st recipe today!), and in addition, I bake 12 different kinds of cookies for cookie trays. I buy flour 25 pounds at a time…and my house smells wonderful!!
These look so pretty! Like the ones you can buy at the store! They look so perfect!!!
Made these today for the kids! Fantastic recipe! Put the balls in the freezer for about 15 min., then baked. They came out soft and scrumptious!
I am so excited you tried them!
(P.S. great name! I’m a Kathryn, too
.)
Um…I JUST made these…and they are amazing! So addicting! You are right, you need quite the self restraint around these bad boys.
I am so so excited you made them!
Sel-restraint… yeah, I wish I had that. I burned my tongue on one, and I have such a hard time waiting for them to cool. It’s the same with things like banana bread. I hate that you have to wait 45 minutes for the bread to cook, but it starts to make the house smell good after only ten. Torture!
I have to make these this weekend!
Those cookies are too cute! But then again, everything you make looks cute, and tastes great! Might be making these!!
Great pic here Katie!
I hope to make these. I am a sucker for very crisp, yet buttery Sugar Cookies so I am curious to how these hold up. Since it is one of your recipes I know I will LOVE IT!!
Thank you Katie! My best friend’s birthday is coming up and all she wants is sugar cookies! I have no doubt she’ll enjoy these…and I can sneak some too
Hi! I read your blog alot and appreictae your healthy takes on desserts…but I feel like if you are going to show something with frosting there should be a frosting recipe! Im not trying to troll or anything, just saying… (kind of like thet latte the other day being shown with whipped cream). Frosting is pretty easy to make if you use earth balance instead of butter! and homemade frosting is wayyy better than anything store bought (plus you can crontol what goes into it!)
Hi Mari,
For the latte, there WAS a whipped cream recipe. I used my coconut cool whip, which I posted awhile back. As for these sugar cookies, I was in a hurry and need to save time where I can. I usually make at least 2 desserts a day, so I appreciate shortcuts sometimes
.
oh my GOSH these look good… I will be baking them soon!
I made these for dessert tonight and they turned out perfectly! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
I am so happy you tried them!!
I love your recipes! I’m a huge “healthy baker”. I just can’t seem to justify the full fat/sugar kind (although I do it for special occasions!). I can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
Emilie
What kind of frosting was that? HAHA I read your answer over and over…
Who would ever say mean things to you? I love your recipes ..had the chocolate pumpkin pie fir tgxhvg…finally made your whip cream I could’ve ate that alone! These look great im gonna try them soon!
Thank you so much, Michelle!
.)
(Hahah I DO eat the whipped cream alone sometimes
These look so great, I’m going to make some soon. Thank you CCK!!!!!!
Made these tonight and both my husband and I loved them!! I made one batch with cinnamon added and they tasted a little like graham crackers. I cut them into 2″ rounds and they made 1 dozen. Not that there are that many left anymore….I had to chase my husband out of the kitchen to let them cool a bit!!!
I think I will substitute coconut extract for the vanilla next time and see what happens??? Have you thought of replacing the vegan butter with coconut oil? I was reading that you can use it as a butter substitute in baking but have not tried it yet.
Oh if you try them with coconut oil, I would LOVE to know how it works out! (You might want to add a *tiny* bit more salt, though, because I think Earth Balance has salt.)
I made these today subbing coconut oil for Earth Balance and they still came out delicious and soft!
I only used 3 tablespoons though because I read that the rule for replacing butter with coconut oil is to use 75% of what the recipe calls for.
Personally, I don’t think adding salt is necessary…I might actually cut down the salt a bit next time and use a heaping 1/8 teaspoon! I prefer things on the less salty side but that’s just me
Oh my goodness, these look amazing! Hmmm…which of the sugars did you use for this batch? I have some coconut sugar in the cupboard!
I used regular white sugar. Sucanat would give it a nice gingerbread-y taste, though!
I always bake cookies, not just during the holidays. Although I have to say that the holidays are a good way to excuse the way too big batches I tend to make.
I love baking cookies. This year, I have had three sessions so far: One for a swap, one with the BF’s family and one just for fun. I think I will have at least one more, this weekend, for the office, and maybe one or two with friends. You cannot have “too many” cookies, right?
Your pictures are always so pretty! I lovelovelove sugar cookies, and I’m excited that you made ‘em healthy
I’m not sure the holidays would be the same without cookies. And these look amazingly awesomely incredibly stupendously fantabulous.
What did you frost them with? Thanks.
I had no idea about the soft vs crispy cookie storage. Thanks! I love a soft sugar cookie, and baking during the holidays happens because, though I love it always, the holidays are an excuse!! Vegan cookies for all
Hey Katie, I know that this is the raziest question, and that it is completly out of the blue, but what are you doing right now and what part of Texas are you in? If you are anywhere in the north-eastern part of the state, i really would love to meet you and tell you my story. If not then please email me the instant you get this post. Beause i feel the need to tell you this, i just have the strangest feeling that i an trust you.
Hi Midzee,
What’s up?
Them cookies looks delicious! I’m getting married on Dec 17,2011 I wish you could send me some for that day or week! Great Job!
Aww happy (early) wedding!!
My mom and I bake Christmas cookies every year! We always use my great grandma’s teacake recipe
This really isn’t related to this post at all, but I have a question for the dessert queen: I have never used brown rice syrup before but would like to try it. Does it have a distinctive taste, like maple syrup or honey (sorry vegans!), or is it more “neutral” like….I don’t know, a simple sugar syrup? What about viscosity– thick like molasses or more runny? What about agave, I have never used that either?
BUT thank you so much for this recipe! For the past 2 years my go-to sugar cookie recipe has been Cooking Light’s slice and bake icebox sugar cookie recipe (http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/basic-icebox-sugar-cookies-10000000222237/ — not vegan either, it uses an egg white but I usually just leave it out and add a little milk instead) for its simplicity and the fact that it only uses 1/4 c butter for 1 cup of flour, but holy cow! Even cutting the 2/3 cup of sugar down to 1/2 cup makes me need to brush my teeth afterwards! I like using part brown sugar too. You say that these cookies are soft– are they chewy soft, or cakey soft? Thank you again, I am starting my must-bake Christmas cookie list and these are at the top!
Hmmm… it *looks* like caramel, and it’s thick like that too. I can’t really describe the taste, though!
Agave is more like pure maple syrup, in that it’s not extremely thick. (Maybe a little thicker than maple syrup.) And it tastes like… lol once again I can’t explain it! People say it tastes kinda like honey.
The cookies are cakey-soft… as long as you don’t overcook them
.
this looks so yummy! Ive bookmarked it ready to get the ingredients next time I brave the supermarket, thanks! Belle
Don’t you think it’s misleading that for photos you use things that are not part of the recipe (like this store-bought icing)?
Umm no, that’s ridiculous. Photographers (or cookbook authors) do that all the time. Ice cream on top of pie, whipped cream on a hot cocoa recipe, syrup on pancakes… I really don’t see how saying I used store-bought icing is a problem. If you want to use it on your cookies, you CAN. It’s not like I’ve done something in my photos that people can’t rerceate at home.
Your sugar cookies are so dainty looking! I will have to try this recipe as sugar cookies do look great on holiday platters!
I would like to also request some breakfast/brunch, drink, or ‘hearty” recipe ideas that go along with the holiday season. I love the idea of gingerbread flavor! A gingerbread oat breakfast of some sort sounds amazing to me!! I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Thanks!
I definitely want to post some savory recipes! And lol I have more gingerbread recipes to post too
. And peppermint!! Chocolate-mint is the best!
Back in my unhealthy days..I remember buying a box of iced sugar cookies and eating nearly the entire container in one evening!! These cookies remind me of those-YUM-but obviously much more HEALTHY!! Great recipe!
Hi, Katie! I made these cookies tonight (I live in the middle east, so it’s nighttime here) and they were very tasty. I’m not vegan so I used full-fat dairy milk and real butter. I also used white sugar and whole wheat pastry flour. Not sure how healthy these actually were given all of my substitutions, but I don’t eat cookies for their nutritional value. At any rate, thanks for the recipe! Quick question: I made your chocolate chip blondies a few weeks ago and they tasted like sweetened chick peas, not blondies. I mean, they were tasty (I happen to like chick peas — sweetened or not) but my husband could taste the beans and didn’t dig them so much. What did I do wrong?
Hi Midge,
Unfortunately, since I wasn’t there when you made them, it’s impossible for me to know what could’ve gone wrong! But do be sure to drain and rinse the beans very well. And I’ve heard that some brands have more of a bean-y taste than others.
Thanks for your reply, Katie. I’ll try the blondie’s again with a different brand of chick pea. If you have a second, would you let me know which brand you use? Thanks!
Usually Westbrae
Those look fantastic!!!! We’ve been making cookies all day, because we’re having a little christmas party this afternoon
YAY!
These cookies didn’t work when I subbed almond flour (needed gluten free and did not have GF baking mix on hand). Don’t have a lot of experience with almond flour though–it worked for me as a sub in some muffins. Maybe that was the problem? Dough was DELICIOUS though. What do you think is the best GF flour option for baking cookies?
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend baking with almond flour unless you combine it with other flours and xantham gum. It needs something to hold it together. A good gf option is to buy a gf mix, such as Arrowhead Mills. Or google for how to use xantham gum in gf baked goods.
lol…that MUST be a trick question,I usually deem the holidays an amazing excuse for themed desserts
so funny – actually checked your blog over a week ago to see if you had sugar cookies. Ended up making something up – they were actually quite similar to yours! Thanks for posting! love you blog!
I also topped them with cashew creme frosting. So good!!
Love sugar cookies!!
So excited to do some cookie baking! We just decorated our apartment for the holidays and I found a bunch of christmas themed sprinkles and cookie cutters. I need to perfect some recipes before going home to Chicago so I can impress my family.
I made them tonight but all they tasted like was baking soda for some reason.. I doubled the recipe, which equals to 3/4 tsp baking soda and I specifically remember using the 1/2 + 1/4 teaspons, but they still tasted like baking soda. Hmm..
I’m not sure what could’ve happened, except I know that sometimes it doesn’t work to just double all the ingredient amounts when doubling a recipe.
I enjoy Luna’s before workouts too!!!
Those look so good! I love sugar cookies and haven’t made them in so long, thanks for the reminder and a healthy one at that! Where is the icing recipe that you used? You rock BTW!!!
Katie, I love that you come up with such healthy recipes, I’m always trying to do so. It’s so easy to put on weight during this time of year, and this is a great recipe to make for the kids. Love it.
Btw… where is the icing recipe?
It was just storebought icing, as I didn’t have enough time (or energy lol) to make homemade. But I do have a few frosting recipes: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/nut-butters
ok so i just made these subbing with peanut flour!!!! (using a full cup and a bit more almond milk because it was a little too sweet) OMG not only are the cookies amazing and moist and indulgent (i made jam thumbprints), the dough tastes like the PERFECT base for peanut butter truffles. Next batch, I’m gonna roll them around in cocoa for at-work distribution!
this is a great recipe to get my creative juices working
Love all your recipes…so creative! I made these tonight and did it to a tee, but used the Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour as suggested, Earth Balance & palm sugar. Everything else exactly as instructed. The dough was really sticky (enough that I couldn’t roll them). So I added about 1/4 cup more flour so I could roll them, but once they were chilled and baked, they tasted flour-y (probably cause I added the additional after the fact).
But then again, I’m not a super big fan of that flour anyway…tastes kinda beany to me…lol. I think I’ll sacrifice a bit of a tummy ache to try it with ww flour, cause they look AMAZING!
Just wanted to let ya know in case anyone tries with that particular flour and it doesn’t work out…
Yikes! I’d actually not tried that particular brand of gf dough
. I do know that someone used buckwheat flour, almond flour, and xantham gum for a gf version. (I really need to practice my gf baking skills more!)
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If you use ww, make sure it’s the pastry flour
Duh, I just realized you posted Arrowhead Mills…my bad! Yah I saw that variation with the buckwheat, but its so strong tasting, not sure how that would be. I wouldn’t worry about practicing your gf skills unless you ‘had’ too. So darn finicky! I may give it another go with oat flour…usually have pretty good luck using that…when I’m in the mood to experiment.
Oh yes, I’d use the pastry flour…such a difference between that and regular ww.
I went to make these last night and I must of used too much liquid, my batter was super wet (but delicious, crazy good delcious) so instead of lots of little cookies I dumped the batter in a pie pan, spread it out, put it in the fridge for about 1/2 hour and then baked for 15 minutes. It still looked not-done, but when it cooled it looked really good. Tonight, I’m frosting it with your Vanilla (Tofu) Frosting and decorating it with lots of fruit. (Kiwi, strawberries and raspberries) to take to a holiday party. I’m so exicited to see how my ‘Katie’ inspired creation comes together. (I’ll send you a pic on twitter) I’m also thinking about taking the fruit bar batter and rolling it into a pie crust and then filling it with your chocolate mousse for “our” next creation. Thanks again for all the amazing recipes that inspire me to get my booty baking in the kitchen!
Ah, after I read all the other comments I realized I used the wrong flour. Ah well, I think I still have a success on my hands but I’ll know for future reference. I’m not worried, I mean who doesn’t like cookie pie or cookie pizza? I still haven’t decided how I’m going to display and transport it. Pie pan is easy, but its blue glass. (So not Christmasy) If I make it more like a pizza I can put it on a clear plate. I’m planning on precutting it before I frost it too regardless of how I display it.
Cookie pizza?! I was thinking of making bars, but I like your idea better!
Those are absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Katie, you are my favorite blog!
Oh my goodness. I’m in love, and not just with the cookies. Keep doin your thing
What about coconut butter instead of vegan butter? Do you think that would work? I have never cooked or baked with it before.
) yum
I am excited to make these for my vegan friends for Christmas.
I haven’t tried it, but I do know that a few others left comments saying they had success using coconut OIL in the recipe
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Hi Katie, We just baked your delicious healthy vegan sugar cookies and they are “AMAZING!” We are always looking for healthy alternatives to baking, especially with having a 2 and 4 year old. Thank you so much! Wishing you and yours a very happy and healthy holiday.
I used coconut oil, which made the dough hard to work with too cold. So I cooked them for only 7 minutes and they puffed up so nicely. The teens I made them for LOVED them. They were so soft and tasty even using White Whole Wheat & Spelt flour.
Just made these using coconut oil and they are GREAT! Yummm! I also used self raising flour. Yum yum yum
Can you sub brown sugar for white sugar in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but I think you could!
I did. They were great!
wow! so many comments but i can’t not leave one!
these cookies are fantastic. my husbands hardly ever impressed when i make vegan desserts (he’s not much of a dessert guy in general). but with these cookies he said “i could eat a lot of these cookies.” of course my kids love them too. and then we added frosting. they are amazing with or without frosting and sooooo easy to make! thank you!
Aww so excited you liked them!!
Question – why do you say that refrigerated dough makes softer cookies? I’ve never heard that and can’t find anything else about it anywhere on the web… Just wondering, because I LOVE softer cookies! Thanks
I’m not sure… my grandma taught me that trick. But it works!
Do these taste at all like the lofthouse sugar cookies that they sell in stores? That would seriously make my day
Just tried these today, warm out of the oven: OHMYGOSH. My vegan sister loved them:) all of your recipes that I’ve tried out have been a success so far! Thank you, you make it easier to be healthy.
Hi there,
I just found you & am so excited to try your recipes…my little boy is allergic to eggs & peanuts, so baking has become quite challenging for me!
Anyway, i was curious which type of nondairy milk is your favorite to use in baking? Is there much of a taste difference?
Thanks!!!
JoAnn
Hi JoAnn!
I really like Blue Diamond almond breeze. Yes, there definitely is a difference among nondairy milks. Coconut milk has a sweet aftertaste, ricemilk is thin and watery, soymilk is thicker, etc. Try out different types until you find a favorite… or maybe you’ll find that you like a certain type best depending on the recipe you’re making
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Katie, I tried these and they flattened out like paper.
Any ideas??? But BOY did they taste great!!!! We still ate them!!! Any ideas would be helpful! I want to try them again.
Hmmm… did you chill the dough balls first? And what flour did you use? Can you tell me any other specifics?
I did chill them…and I used regular flour. I am determined to try them again. I did bake them longer than you suggested, so now I’m wondering if that was it! They looked undone, so I added cooking time. I do typically need to do that in my oven, but perhaps I really over-did it. They were not burned at all. Thanks!!! And sorry I just now saw that you replied.
My husband said they tasted awesome, which they did, but they fell apart picking them up and were flat as paper. haha!
Oh my goodness these are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever had! I’ve been searching for one with my gluten-free veganism, and these didn’t even crumble with gluten-free flour! My non-vegan siblings (even one who is allergic to dairy and refuses to give it up) loved the dairy-free version! Thanks, Katie!
I am so going to try this instead of store bought cookie dough for fruit pizzas!
Yum-would these be available in a smaller serving? Ie 4 biscuits instead of 12?
I love Anzac biscuits too, and they can easily be made vegan. I made a huge batch for Australia day yesterday to take to work too make up for the fact we had to work on a public holiday. All the other nurses loved them!
BTW I am following you on Pinterest now-lots of fun
Aww thanks, Rachel!
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I guess you could probbably halve the recipe… I often halve cookie recipes without a problem
Hi! I just want to know if you also have a recipe for a healthy frosting too. Thanks!
Sure
. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/nut-butters/
OMG! 0.0 Im amazed. Before I became vegan this was my favorite icecream and I never found a replacer. So amazing!
Last night my husband and I had a sweet tooth. I made these sugar cookies using coconut oil and they were TO DIE FOR! Addicting really. THANK you for all of your amazing recipes! Your website is always a go-to when I want sweets but don’t want to compromise my waistline
Hi Katie! I made these yesterday with a heart cookie cutter and pink frosting and of course sprinkles
They are so soft and yummy!!!! They have better flavor than a typical sugar cookie. Thank you so much for sharing the LOVE and your awesome recipes! Happy Valentines Day
My daughter and I made these today and they are awesome!!!! My sister has a liver disorder so she has to limit calories and fat- your site has been a huge help in finding healthy sweet treats to make for her. Thanks so much!!!
hey I’m like ten and me my family eat nothing but healthy so i was so looking forward to something sweet and healthy i wil be trying these soon thanks a bunch.
I’m not gonna lie….these do taste like biscuits, but hey, who doesn’t love biscuits??!!!!
MMMMMMM, just out of the oven and about to be frosted blue, these cookies are amazing!
Thank you!
Just wanted you to know I made these today. Altered them a bit by adding 6 packet of “true lemon” to the dry ingredients, and rolling them in two packets of true lemon with some sugar before baking. Made wonderful Lemon cookies
I couldn’t find in the comments–did anyone try coconut oil? How did it turn out? Please say soft. Oh please, please say soft!!!
WHOA! I just made these and OH MY GOSH! This is the first recipe of yours I’ve tried (I just found your site and it’s one of the only things in which I have everything on hand) but I will definitely, definitely be making many more of your recipes. Thanks, these were insane!
Katie,
These are awesome. I’ve made them about 4 times in the last few weeks. In the process, I discovered that adding sprinkles to the batter makes them even more exciting! Also, I decided I like the dough better than the baked cookies, so today I mixed up a bowl of dough (with my hands, I might add) and stuck it in my freezer to nibble on whenever I so choose. Just thought I’d let you know. Thanks for a(nother) great recipe!
Just made these and tinted them green for St. Patrick’s Day! I used real butter (since that’s not a huge issue for me) and coconut sugar. Not too sweet (thank God) and a nice rustic taste which I love as well as pillow-y soft. I will definitely be making these again!!
Hey, was going to give this recipe a go. The colour attracted me! What frosting recipe do you use?
Thanks,
Andrea
are the sprinkles vegan? if so, where do you find them?
Yes they are vegan. Probably not the healthiest thing, but it’s not like I am eating a ton of them. If you are interested, Whole Foods sells a healthier brand called, Let’s Do Organic.
Katie, how many cookies does this recipe make? Would you mind adding the amounts to your recipes? I have wantd to try a bunch of recipes but sometimes can’t figure out how many the recipe will make, whether I should double it for a large crowd, etc.
Thanks!
I only got 12 from this recipe and I just made little balls out of mine then pressed (like pb cookies) next time i will double it.
I usually do give amounts, but for things like this it depends on whether you make balls or flat cookies or cookie-cuttered shapes
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I really don’t know because I made some of each!
tried this today and the dough was too wet and too warm from melted earth balance to roll out at all.
It’s impossible for me to say where you went wrong without more specific info. Can you please give me more specifics, such as what flour you used, and as much specific info as you can about what you did? Others have had success with the recipe, so I know there’s not a misprint.
???
I was wondering do you know how many calories are in these cookies? A few of the girls I work with were wondering. I am so excited to try out this recipe.
There’s a link to nutritional info in the post
I just made these (gluten free) and they turned out awesome. I used gf flour, substituted the sugar with xylitol, and coconut oil for the butter. Wow no need for any icing on top they just melt in your mouth just like this. I did leave them in the oven for 4 minutes longer since I like my cookies a little more crisp on the bottoms. Thanks for the great recipe!!!!
I made these for the kids for Easter. I double the recipe and it made 15 medium sized bunnies. They were incredible! I’ll probably always make these instead of a standard sugar cookie. Kids and grown-ups both LOVED them!
I just found these this morning…..and I REALLY want to help those gluten-free bakers out there!! I don’t buy the g-f baking mixes; I always mix up my own. I realize this can make for a messier kitchen but I’m so picky, I prefer to cater to each recipe depending on what I think it needs. I want to say that, when I first started baking g-free, my standard substitution was equal parts sweet sorghum flour, white rice flour, and tapioca starch. It’s still the formula I go with if I want something really ‘naughty’ and ‘white flour-like’ in a dessert!! Otherwise, I play around. For this recipe, although I haven’t made it (yet!) I’d say I would definitely go with that formula, maybe using a fine brown rice flour instead of the white. Also, my standard leaning is to add about one additional tablespoon of the sweet sorghum per cup of regular flour called for…..if weights are given, it’s easier to get it right on the first try but with cup measurements you have to go with look-feel. I hope this helps all who are trying like mad to eat better and not feel so rotten but are just getting their feet wet with g-free baking! We DO need our sweets after all!!!
I’m glad to hear that coconut oil works since that was the direction I wanted to go. I can’t help but to think a little coconut flour subbed in wouldn’t hurt either! Maybe a touch of coconut flavoring….and then the frosting? More coconut with chocolate drizzle? And here I thought I wasn’t going to bake today!
I love all your ideas!
Also, I really need to start experimenting more with coconut flour. I love the flavor, but I never know what to do with it.
Thank you so much for taking time to leave help for gf bakers. I’m trying to learn more about gf baking, but I’m admittedly new at it!
I’m just curious. What recipe did you use for the frosting?
It’s Pillsbury. The sugar cookies taste so yummy without icing, but I decided to use it for the photoshoot to make them LOOK prettier. (Oddly enough, Pillsbury frosting is vegan.)
Mine turned out more buttery… Like biscuits almost…?
Hmmm… I have a cookie business, and maybe I should try using these as our sugar cookies and seeing if anyone notices.
. Due to health issues, too much sugar makes me sick, but I have a major sweet tooth so I usually just put up with being nauseous. Your recipes are a perfect solution!
I am probably heading off to make the cookie dough dip tonight.
Can you use veg oil in place of the vegan butter? Thanks.
I haven’t done it, so I really don’t know. If you try, I’d love to hear if it works.
I tried it with veg oil and white flour. They were a little greasy to touch but great texture. They needed a little more flavor though. I think the oil took away a lot of it. I still liked them i just need to try it with the earth balance and see how it was different. Thanks for giving us so many options love your site.. I am on nere every day…:-)
So… when’s your “Book of Chocolatey Goodness” coming out??
Aw this made my day
It’s a long process!
Question for you, in recipes (such as this one) that you’re using all-purpose flour, could it be substituted for oat flour? (I have a bunch in my cabinet that I used to make cookies and I wanted to use it up!) Thanks!
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