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    Home > Vegan Desserts

    Vegan Christmas Cookies

    By Nandor Barta on 12/17/2024 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Pin

    These festive vegan Christmas cookies are a must-have for the holiday season. With a soft, chewy texture and colorful Christmas-themed candies, they are a sweet treat that both kids and adults will love. Have them as a snack, save them for after dinner, or wrap them as a gift– just don’t forget to leave some next to the chimney for Santa!

    Light brown cookies with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees.

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    For more colorful holiday-themed vegan cookies that will have your guests running back for more, be sure to try my vegan Halloween cookies, vegan funfetti cookies, and vegan Snickerdoodles cookies. Prefer the classics? Make sure to try my vegan chocolate chip cookies!

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you’ll love it
    • 🧾 Key ingredients
    • 🥘 Equipment
    • 👩‍🍳 Instructions
    • 💡 Expert tip
    • 🔄 Variations
    • ❄️ Storing tips
    • 🤔 FAQs
    • More vegan cookie recipes
    • Vegan Christmas Cookies

    ❤️ Why you’ll love it

    This easy, one-bowl vegan Christmas cookie recipe is fun, easy, and absolutely delicious. Using basic pantry staples and just a few key pieces of equipment, you will no doubt impress guests with these flavorful and colorful holiday cookies. Trust me, I have tested it with my family and friends, and they tell me they are the best vegan Christmas cookies they have ever tried!

    This recipe uses four different types of candies, making it a fun one to make with the kids in preparation for Santa’s arrival. The base recipe is also highly versatile, so you can easily customize it with your favorite add-ins and decorations to make them even more delicious! See my variations section below for a few ideas.

    Preparing for a big holiday party? These cookies are very freezer-friendly, so you can make a big batch in advance and have them all ready for the dessert table on the big day!

    Light brown cookies with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees.
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    🧾 Key ingredients

    Ingredients of Christmas cookies in small glass bowls like flour, brown sugar, white sugar, apple sauce, oil, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, baking soda, green and red candies, white and green sprinkles, and white and dark chocolate chips.

    Decorations– M&Ms are not always vegan-friendly, opt for these peppermint chocolate candies instead. It is also vital to look for vegan chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life or Callebaut. I like to use Christmas-themed colors and designs for my sprinkles and sugar pearls, but the choice is up to you! 

    Vanilla extract and cinnamon – The vanilla extract and cinnamon help enhance the flavor of the cookies. The cinnamon is optional. However, I strongly recommend it for the best taste!

    Apple sauce – This is a vegan recipe, so the applesauce acts as a vegan egg substitute. It is important to use unsweetened applesauce, as the sweetened version will cause the cookies to be too sweet.

    Sugar – A mix of white granulated sugar and dark brown sugar helps to sweeten the batter. I have also tested this recipe using white cane sugar and turbinado sugar, and the cookies were just as delicious!

    Flour – I use all-purpose flour in this recipe. However, I have also tested it using a gluten-free flour blend and found it an acceptable substitute for gluten-free cookies.

    🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    🥘 Equipment

    Electric hand mixer – It helps to mix the ingredients faster and more evenly versus mixing by hand. You can also use a stand mixer.

    Silicone baking sheet – It helps to distribute the heat more evenly and makes cleaning up easy. If you do not have silicone baking mats, parchment paper works just as well.

    Ice cream scoop – For perfect, evenly-sized cookies, use an ice cream or cookie scoop to scoop the dough balls.

    Wooden spatula – A spatula can help gently fold the candies into the batter without the risk of overmixing. I recommend a hand-crafted olive wooden spatula from Forest Decor.

    👩‍🍳 Instructions

    Making vegan Christmas cookies

    STEP 1
    In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, brown and white sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to help beat the ingredients on low speed for two minutes or until well-emulsified.

    Glass bowl with caramel color liquid.

    STEP 2
    Stir in the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda) until they are well combined with the other ingredients. The mixture will become very thick but will still be soft. If it is too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of dairy-free milk to loosen it up.

    Glass bowl with flour, cinnamon, salt, and soda.

    STEP 3
    Gently fold in the sprinkles, M&Ms, and sugar pearls using a spatula. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to prevent the dough from spreading.

    A glass bowl with light brown cookie down with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees.

    STEP 4
    Preheat the oven to 375°F/190C. Line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop two-teaspoon increments of them and roll them into balls. Place the cookie dough balls on the lined baking tray, leaving 2-3 inches of space between them.

    If you prefer pillowy, soft cookies, proceed to the next step. If you want chewy, thin cookies, use a small glass to flatten the cookie dough balls until they are at most one inch thick.

    Raw cookie dough with red, green, white and brown candies in them on a parchment paper.

    STEP 5
    Place the tray in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes until they are barely golden brown around the edges. In my oven (no fan), the cookies take 12 minutes to bake until they are the perfect color. However, the baking time can vary depending on the oven model.

    STEP 6
    Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes. Once cooled, move them to a cooling rack. The cookies will slightly collapse as they continue to cool.

    Light brown cookies with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees. A hand is grabbing one cookie.

    💡 Expert tip

    Always use a digital scale when measuring the ingredients. A scale will provide the most accurate and consistent measurements and results versus estimating by eye with a hand scoop. The slightest variations in the ingredient quantities can lead to significant variations in the texture, taste, and appearance of the cookies!

    A hand is breaking a light brown cookie with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees in half to show the inner texture. More cookies are in the background.

    🔄 Variations

    There are countless ways to customize these vegan Christmas cookies. Add some additional crunch by adding chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or pecans.

    For a different flavor profile, swap out the vanilla extract for lemon, orange, or peppermint extract. Or, add cocoa powder to the batter to make a chocolate base cookie.

    Instead of cinnamon, you can use a pumpkin spice blend for a warm, festive flavor profile.

    You can add fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries. You can even dust them with powdered sugar just before serving them to look like snow! The possibilities are endless!

    A stack of light brown cookies with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees.

    ❄️ Storing tips

    To store: To keep the cookies fresher for longer, store them in an airtight container or a sealable plastic bag. They will last at room temperature for up to two days. After two days, it is best to move them to the refrigerator.

    To freeze: Allow the cookies to cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container or sealable freezer-safe bag and move them to the freezer. Thaw at room temperature.

    A stack of light brown cookies with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees. A hand is taking one from the top.

    🤔 FAQs

    Is it necessary to chill the dough?

    Chilling the dough helps prevent the dough from spreading, but it is not 100% necessary. I have tested this recipe with non-chilled dough, refrigerated dough, and dough chilled for an extended time and did not notice a significant difference between each method.

    Can I use vegan butter instead of vegetable oil?

    I do not recommend vegan butter as the results vary significantly depending on the brand. Instead, I recommend using sunflower or liquid refined coconut oil as a substitute.

    More vegan cookie recipes

    • Dark brown cookies with orange m&ms, and chocolate chips on an orange surface with a pumpkin pattern. A hand is grabbing one.
      Vegan Halloween Cookies
    • Lot of red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips on a light blue wooden surface.
      Vegan Red Velvet Cookies

    THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.  

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    Light brown cookies with red and green m&ms, chocolate chips, tiny white sugar snowflakes, and tiny green pine trees.

    Vegan Christmas Cookies

    Nandor Barta
    These festive vegan Christmas cookies are a must-have for the holiday season. With a soft, chewy texture and colorful Christmas-themed candies, they are a sweet treat that both kids and adults will love. Have them as a snack, save them for after dinner, or wrap them as a gift– just don’t forget to leave some next to the chimney for Santa!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Chill time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 20 cookies
    Calories 169kcal

    Equipment

    Scale
    Wooden spatula from Forest Decor
    Ice cream scooper with trigger
    Simple hand mixer
    Visit our Amazon Shop for all baking essentials

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ cup Vegetable oil I used sunflower
    • ¾ cup Dark brown sugar
    • ½ cup Granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup Apple sauce unsweetened
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp Cinnamon optional, but recommended
    • 2+½ cups All-purpose flour or GF flour blend
    • 1 tsp Baking soda
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ¼ cup Dark chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup White chocolate chips
    • ½ cup Vegan M&Ms
    • 2 Tbsp Mini edible sugar pearls
    • 2 Tbsp Vegan Christmas sprinkles
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Important NotesAlways use a scale to measure ingredients for baking. When developing this recipe, I measured everything both in cups and with a scale to be 100% sure. I also verify my cup to gram conversions with King Arthur’s Ingredient Chart!

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, combine oil, sugars, apple sauce, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer to beat together on low speed for 2 minutes until well emulsified.
    • Stir in the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda until completely incorporated. The mixture should be very thick but still soft. If too stiff, add 1-2 Tablespoons of non-dairy milk.
    • Fold in the sprinkles, M&Ms, and pearls.
    • Cover and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
    • Preheat oven to 375°F/190C. Line baking sheets with parchment.
    • Scoop 2 Tbsp amounts of dough. Roll into balls and place 2-3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet.
    • If you want pillowy, soft cookies, don’t flatten them. If you want chewy, thinner ones, flatten them with a small glass, at most 1 inch thick.
    • Bake for 8-12 minutes until just barely golden brown around the edges. I need 12 minutes in my non-fan oven to get them perfect.
    • Remove from the oven and cool them on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Cookies will puff up more in the oven and collapse slightly as they cool.
    Tried this recipe? Can we see it?Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest below ours.

    Notes

    Add 1-2 tbsp/15-30ml non-dairy milk or water to thin the consistency if it is too stiff. Reasons for that could be that you use homemade apple sauce or the measurements are off. 
     
    Do you have a convection oven?A convection oven distributes heat throughout its cavity using a fan and exhaust system, resulting in faster and more even cooking than traditional ovens. Read here how to use a convection oven.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Christmas Cookies
    Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
    Calories 169 Calories from Fat 27
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3g5%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 0.01g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
    Cholesterol 1mg0%
    Sodium 124mg5%
    Potassium 52mg1%
    Carbohydrates 34g11%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 21g23%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 14IU0%
    Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
    Calcium 27mg3%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

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