6 Vegan Holiday Cookies That Scream Sugar, Spice, And Everything Nice

Winter’s here and nothing beats cosying up with a warm beverage and a plate of moist, crumbly cookies. But if you’re vegan, your options for holiday cookies may seem a bit limited. You might be used to making your own vegan versions of classic cookies, but why not switch things up this year? We’ve gathered 6 of the most delicious-looking vegan holiday cookies from some of our favorite blogs and websites. Whether you like your cookies chewy or crunchy, chocolatey or nutty, these recipes are sure to hit the spot. Preheat your oven, break out the baking sheet, and get ready to indulge in some serious cookie action.

Vegan Candy Cane Crunch Cookies (2)

The candy cane is one of the most iconic symbols of Christmas, so it only makes sense to bake cookies shaped like them.

These chocolate candy canes may be missing their white stripes (we ditched white chocolate for the more flavorful dark variety), but they more than make up for it with their rich chocolate flavor and candy cane crunch.

Get ready to make a mess while shaping these cuties – it’s all part of the fun!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 Cup Arrowroot Starch
• ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ½ Cup Teff Flour
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 TB Cocoa Mint Stevia Syrup
• ½ Tsp Pure Peppermint Extract
• 4 Candy Canes

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, arrowroot starch, cocoa powder, teff flour, and baking powder.
3. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the stevia syrup and peppermint extract.
4. Pour this mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly combined.
5. Break the candy canes into small pieces and stir them into the cookie dough.
6. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and shape them into candy canes on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
8. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Enjoy!

This recipe is courtesy of strengthandsunshine.com

Read More: Vegan Cookie Dough Chickpeas – So Good You’ll Never Miss The Eggs And Butter

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies (5)

Rich, fudgy, and flecked with chocolate and peppermint, these cookies are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. In true chocolate-crinkle-cookie fashion, these little gems have a crisp outside and a gooey center that will just melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon peppermint candies, crushed (optional)
• Sugar coating
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Combine the dry ingredients:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.

Create the wet mixture:

1. In a separate bowl or in a stand mixer, combine the sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat until combined.
2. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until everything is just combined. Stir in the crushed peppermint candies, if using.

Chill the dough:

1. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven and prepare your workstation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Set out two bowls, one with the granulated sugar and one with the powdered sugar.

Shape the cookies:

1. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls.
2. Then, roll the balls in the granulated sugar until they’re evenly coated.
3. Transfer the sugar-coated balls to the bowl with the powdered sugar and roll them around until they’re coated.
4. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.

Bake the cookies:

1. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re crisp around the edges but still soft in the middle.
2. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a container.

Nutritional Info: Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 33mg, Potassium: 75mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 0.7mg

This recipe is courtesy of mydarlingvegan.com

Looking for a way to break the vicious cycle of weight loss and tone up all the jiggly parts? Watch the extra pounds fly off and your muscles firm up with the BetterMe app!

Vegan 1-Bowl Snickerdoodle Cookies (1)

Snickerdoodle cookies get their signature flavor from a combination of cinnamon and sugar. These cookies, from the popular food blog Minimalist Baker, are fluffy on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside, naturally sweet and flavored with warming spices.

Best of all, they keep for up to a month in the freezer!

Ingredients For The Cookies:

• 1/2 cup softened vegan butter (1/2 cup = 1 stick or sub dairy butter if not vegan)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or organic cane sugar (sub up to half the sugar with stevia this will make the cookies softer, so you will likely need to add more gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or cornstarch to help thicken the dough)
• 3 Tbsp aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas // not whipped)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional adds tanginess — if you don’t have, omit)
• 1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 ⅓ cups gluten-free flour blend (if not gluten-free, sub all purpose flour but use less as it’s drier and more absorbent)
• 1 ¼ cup almond flour (not almond meal)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch (cornstarch yields slightly fluffier texture)

Ingredients For The Coating:

• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease with oil if not using parchment.
2. In a large bowl, cream together vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add aquafaba, vanilla, baking powder, cream of tartar (optional), cinnamon, and salt. Stir until well combined.
4. Add gluten-free flour, almond flour, and cornstarch or arrowroot.
5. Stir until a thick dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add more aquafaba 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. If too wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. Chill dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator (this helps the cookies to not spread as much).
7. While the dough is chilling, prepare the coating by mixing sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
8. Once the dough is chilled, scoop heaping tablespoons of dough (I use a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and gently press down to flatten each cookie slightly.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden brown and set.
11. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info: Calories: 158, Carbohydrates: 18.8 g, Protein: 2.3 g, Fat: 8.5 g, Saturated Fat: 3.9 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.94 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2.48 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 86 mg, Potassium: 66 mg, Fiber: 1.4 g, Sugar: 7.1 g, Vitamin A: 0 IU, Vitamin C: 0 mg, Calcium: 34 mg,  Iron: 0.42 mg

This recipe is courtesy of minimalistbaker.com

Read More: 4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies: The Only Recipe You’ll Need

Vegan Linzer Tart Cookies (3)

Jam lovers, these cookies are for you. A classic Linzer tart is made with a shortcrust pastry and filled with raspberry jam, and many love the addition of an almond-flour based cookie dough. This recipe uses spelt flour, vegan butter, and a chia-raspberry jam filling.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spelt flour or plain white flour
• 1 stick plus plus 4 heaped tbsp vegan butter
• 1 Tsp baking soda
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp rice syrup (or any other liquid sweetener
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• A pinch of fine sea salt
• Chia seeds for the filling
• Raspberry Jam for the filling
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Lightly grease two baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a food processor or using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the rice syrup and vanilla extract and mix again.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well combined. The dough should be crumbly but stick together when you press it between your fingers.
6. To make the cookies, take about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets and press them down slightly.
7. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once the cookies are cool, it’s time to make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds and raspberry jam.
10. To assemble, sandwich together two cookies with the raspberry chia jam filling. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

This recipe is courtesy of vanillacrunnch.com

Vegan Chocolate Almond Biscotti (4)

Dunking cookies in coffee is a time-honored tradition, and this recipe for vegan chocolate almond biscotti doesn’t disappoint.

Easy to make, needing the most basic of ingredients, this recipe is perfect for anyone who loves a good chocolate cookie. Best of all, the biscotti tradition of twice-baking means these cookies will stay nice and crisp, making them perfect for dunking.

Ingredients:

• 1 level cup (125 grams) flour (I mixed spelt and all-purpose flour)
• 3 Tbsp (20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ⅓ cup (70 grams) sugar (I used unrefined cane sugar)
• ½ orange zest
• 5 Tbsp water, plus more if needed
• 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ½ cup (75 grams) almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the almonds on a separate baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sugar. Zest an orange directly into the bowl.
4. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the water, oil, and vanilla.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly moistened. If the dough seems too dry, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. Stir in the toasted almonds.
7. Divide the dough into two pieces and shape each piece into an 8-inch (20 cm) log. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet and flatten them slightly.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
9. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
10. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the logs into ½-inch (1 cm) thick slices.
11. Place the slices back on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
12. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks

This recipe is courtesy of theclevermeal.com

If you tend to let yourself off the hook, raise the white flag when things get tougher than you expected, send yourself on an unconscious binge-eating trip – BetterMe app is here to help you leave all of these sabotaging habits in the past!

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies (6)

How about a dose of healthy with your sweetness? These hearty oatmeal cookies are loaded with raisins, pecans, and spices. They’re also refined sugar-free, so you can feel good about indulging.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups rolled oats, gluten-free if needed (1 cup for softer cookie version)
• 3/4 cup fine grain almond flour (1 cup for softer cookie version)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (leave out for softer cookie version)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (You can sub date paste for the maple syrup if you want a less sweet cookie. You will need to add a bit of water to thin out the batter a bit depending on how runny your date paste is.)
• 1/4 cup apple sauce (1/2 cup for softer cookie version)
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the maple syrup, apple sauce, almond butter, and molasses.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
5. Fold in the raisins and pecans, if using.
6. Drop dough by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown and set.
8. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Info: Calories: 171kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 60mg, Potassium: 166mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 0.8mg.

This recipe is courtesy of veggiesdontbite.com

The Bottom Line

A vegan diet doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite holiday cookies. There are plenty of delicious vegan recipes for cookies that are just as good as the traditional ones.

Try one of these recipes this holiday season and you’ll be sure to please everyone, vegan or not. Happy baking!