December 2, 2020

Dairy Free Sugar Cookies

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Say hello to the BEST cut out dairy free sugar cookies. With lightly crisp edges and soft centers, these dreamy cookies are perfect for decorating. Easy to make and wonderfully classic, they hold their shape beautifully while baking. A total must for Christmas and the holidays, you’ll never want to use another cut out recipe again!

A white plate filled with decorated Dairy Free Sugar Cookies.

One of my favorite holiday traditions?

Making cut out sugar cookies to decorate with ALL the sprinkles while blasting Christmas music through the house. 

I mean, it just doesn’t get much better.

Which is why I’m so excited to bring you today’s dairy free version of this classic treat.

And lemme tell you, these cookies are so darn irresistible you won’t even realize there’s no milk, cream or real butter involved.

Here’s why I think you’ll dig them:

  • They have lightly crisp edges + soft thick centers.
  • Are packed with dreamy vanilla almond flavor.
  • Hold their shape beautifully and have a nice flat surface for decorating.
  • AND they stay soft for days.

You can top them with your favorite frosting OR try our super simple homemade icing included down below!

Rolled out cookie dough with cookie cutters.

How To Make

So, let’s talk about how these classic cookies go down:

Cream butter and sugar. First up, we’ll beat together some dairy free butter and confectioners’ sugar in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy. 

Add all other ingredients. Next, we’ll add in an egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and flour, and mix until a soft dough forms.

Chill until firm. We’ll wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until nice and firm.

Roll out and bake. Finally, we’ll roll out the dough, cut out with cookie cutters and then bake until the edges are just set. 

You can frost with our go-to icing OR use your own favorite.

Cookie dough in a mixing bowl and then undecorated sugar cookies.

Tips & Tricks

  1. When measuring out your flour, fluff in the container then scoop into your measuring cup with a spoon and level off. Don’t dunk the cup straight into the bag as you’ll likely use too much.
  2. It’s important to stick with confectioners’ sugar for these cookies as it keeps them from spreading during baking. I would NOT recommend substituting out for something else.
  3. As far as the dairy free butter, I like Country Crock’s plant butter with avocado oil (not sponsored, just what I use and recommend). 
  4. Please be sure to roll out the dough to the listed ¼ inch thickness. This is what allows the cookies to bake up with perfectly soft centers. 
  5. And finally, the cookie cutters that I use for this recipe are about 3 inches long – giving me right around 21 cookies. Just keep in mind that the yield can vary quite a bit depending on the size of your cutters.

Two Dairy Free Cut Out Cookies on a white plate.

How To Store

Counter: Plain or decorated sugar cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days. 

If you use the icing recipe included down below, you can stack them once they’re dry without the need for parchment.

Freezer: Plain cookies will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

{I haven’t tried freezing the cookies once decorated but my guess is they would do okay. I’d recommend layering with parchment paper if they are decorated and you plan to freeze.}

A No Dairy Sugar Cookie on a white plate with a bite taken out.

Additional Dairy Free Cookie Recipes:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

A white plate filled with decorated Dairy Free Sugar Cookies.

Dairy Free Sugar Cookies

Yield: about 20 to 22 medium cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Say hello to the best cut out dairy free sugar cookies! With lightly crisp edges and soft centers, these dreamy cookies are perfect for decorating. Easy to make and wonderfully classic, they hold their shape beautifully while baking.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) dairy free butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional but SO good)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the icing:*       

  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar   
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • food coloring and sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

For the cookies:

  1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and confectioners’ sugar. Beat on medium high for about 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
  2. Add in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract (if using), then beat again until incorporated (don’t worry if it looks a little curdled). Add in the flour and salt, then mix on low until combined - the dough will be soft. 
  3. Using a spatula, scrape / dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. With well floured hands, form into a ball and then gently press into a disc about 6 inches wide. Wrap tightly, then chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
  5. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch in thickness. Cut out the dough with cookie cutters and place on the prepared baking sheet about 1 to 1 ½ inches apart (they won’t spread much during baking). Repeat with all the dough scraps.
  6. Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the edges are completely set and ever so lightly browned.
  7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the icing:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of the water, the vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth. Add additional water to thin out the icing or add extra confectioners’ sugar to thicken it up (if you want to pipe on the icing make it thicker versus thinner if you want more of a glaze - adjust to you).
  2. Add food coloring to the icing if using, then decorate the cookies as desired. 
  3. Enjoy the cookies right away or let them sit for about 24 hours for the icing to set and harden up (no need to cover them during this time).

Notes

Yield will vary depending on the size of your cookie cutters.

*Looking for a buttercream frosting for decorating? Try this dairy free spiced buttercream frosting or this dairy free chocolate buttercream frosting instead of the icing!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 22 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 188Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert
Christmas, Cookies, Dairy Free, Dessert, Freezer-Friendly, Recipes (ALL), Seasonal, Vegetarian
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