Vegan Christmas Cookies

These vegan Christmas cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with vegan candy buttons! Perfect for cookie exchanges, gifting, and more!

During the holiday season, my family takes baking to another level.

Like clockwork, we go into cookie-making mode and our kitchen becomes a cookie factory. Some of our favorites to make are ricotta cookies, coconut cookies, and these vegan Christmas cookies.

With so many of our friends and family having dietary restrictions, it only makes sense that we include them in our cookie exchanges too (hello, keto Christmas cookies and gluten-free Christmas cookies!).

Today’s recipe is one for anyone who can’t have eggs or dairy (or animal products) but want a delicious cookie that is festive and that does NOT sacrifice flavor.

Table of Contents

1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make vegan Christmas cookies
4. Tips to make the best recipe
5. Storing instructions
6. Frequently asked questions
7. More vegan Christmas cookie recipes to try
8. Perfect Vegan Christmas Cookies (Recipe Card)

Why this recipe works

• Simple ingredients. Like my vegan cookies, this festive version calls for pantry staples.
• Quick chill time. Unlike other cookie recipes that call for several hours or overnight chilling time, these need just one hour.
• No egg replacements. No flax eggs, chia eggs, or egg substitutes are needed. This is my #1 non-negotiable with any kind of cookie.
• Easy to make ahead. You can prep the dough in advance and even freeze it to bake it up later. I think I even have some left from last Christmas!

The texture of these cookies is perfectly crisp around the edges and soft in the middle. They are perfectly sweet, and you are guaranteed that every mouthful will have plenty of chocolate in them!

Ingredients needed

As mentioned earlier, this recipe calls for very simple ingredients that, if you’ve made any of our vegan desserts before, will have on hand. Here is what you’ll need:

• Vegan butter OR coconut oil– I prefer using vegan butter, but softened coconut oil can also be used. If you choose to use the butter, opt for sticks or blocks, not spreads. 
• White sugar and brown sugar– A combination of both sugars will yield the perfect texture- Crisp edges and perfectly soft centers. 
• Non-dairy milk– I used soy milk, but almond, coconut, oat, and other plant-based milks will work. 
• Vanilla extract– A must for any good cookie. 
• All purpose flour– Also known as plain flour. Be sure to sift the flour very well in case there are any clumps. 
• Baking soda– Gives the cookies some rise and helps prevent them from overspreading. 
• Salt– A pinch of salt balances out the flavors and brings out the natural sweetness of the other ingredients. 
• Candy buttons– A mix of green and red candy buttons! There are a handful of vegan-friendly candy buttons on the market, including Choco No No’s and Unreal chocolate.
• Chocolate chips– Optional, but I enjoy adding some vegan chocolate chips to the dough for extra pockets of chocolate throughout. 

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How to make vegan Christmas cookies

Making these cookies is honestly very foolproof. Besides prepping the dough, there isn’t much hands-on time needed. Ready to bake some cookies?

Step 1- make the dough. Start by adding the sugars and butter to a mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, cream them together. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold through the candy buttons and chocolate chips.

Step 2- chill the cookie dough. Next, cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for an hour.

Step 3- shape the cookies. Now, divide the dough into 12 portions. Using your hands, roll into balls.

Step 4- Bake the cookies. Place them onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until the sides just firm up. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely.  

Tips to make the best recipe

• Chilling the dough for an hour prior to baking the cookies will prevent them from overspreading and also yield a perfectly gooey center. I know it’s hard to resist but trust me, it makes all the difference.
• Do not over-bake the cookies, as they continue to firm up as they are cooling down. I like to remove them around the 12-minute mark.
• Avoid re-freezing the unbaked cookie dough. The candy buttons bleed into the dough and become crumbly once thawed. 

Storing instructions

• To store: Leftovers keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks. 
• To freeze: Place cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. 
• Make ahead: You can prepare the dough up to 5 days in advance before baking them. Simply cover the prepared dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Once ready to use, let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

Frequently asked questions

More vegan Christmas cookie recipes to try

• Shortbread– Buttery and crumbly without the dairy.
• Peanut butter cookies– Always a classic cookie for any occasion.
• Double chocolate cookies– My family’s #1 most requested cookie.
• Chocolate chip marshmallow cookies– Yes, you can get vegan marshmallows!
• Levain cookies– Better than the classic dessert shop.

Recipe originally published November 2022 but updated to include new information for your benefit.