After all, the holidays are a time for giving. The last thing you’ll want is for someone to feel left out because they can’t enjoy any of your delicious treats that are homemade with love! The best thing about these cookies is that they’re super-inclusive, and I’ll bet most people won’t even know they’re dairy-free! A few are also gluten-free, so you won’t need to worry about making different cookies for each dietary restriction. Happy Holidays!
30 Vegan Christmas Cookie Recipes
1. Fun & Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Gingerbread cookies are quintessential Christmas cookies. They’re dark, tender, and wonderfully spiced. And since they’ll get most of that color and texture from molasses, making them vegan is pretty easy.
2. Vegan Christmas Cookies with Pistachio and Cranberries
Many Christmas treats are dark and spicy, with lots of intense flavors. But I think I prefer something a little more colorful. And it doesn’t get more colorful than these tender vegan shortbread cookies loaded with chewy red cranberries and buttery pistachios.
3. Vegan Linzer Cookies
Linzer cookies are a must for every Christmas cookie box. They’re delicate, sweet, and bursting with tangy raspberry goodness. Like any good shortbread recipe, all you need are a few ingredients and a soft touch. Be gentle with the dough, and these babies will come out crazy-tender.
4. Vegan Christmas Cookies
As much as I love making new and fun cookies during the festive season, you really can’t beat a thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie. This vegan recipe takes it a step further, adding lots of red and green M&Ms to achieve that wow factor.
5. Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Double chocolate chip cookies are indulgent, fudgy, and bursting with ooey-gooey chocolate chunks dotted into every bite. Believe it or not, they’re also crazy-easy to make dairy-free. The key is to use vegan butter (or coconut oil) and ensure the chocolate is vegan-approved. Most dark chocolate is, but milk chocolate is obviously off-limits.
6. Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies are perfect for the Holidays because they look like they’ve been left out in the snow. It stands out best when the cookie is lovely and dark, like this chocolate recipe. Best of all, it’s effortless to achieve that signature cracked effect. Just roll the cookie dough in powdered sugar before baking. That’s it!
7. Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Meltaway cookies are, by design, ridiculously crumbly and sweet. One bite and the cookie softens in your mouth, leaving nothing but buttery goodness. And in this case, fresh peppermint, too. The candy canes are optional, but they’ll boost the flavor and add a pop of fun color.
8. Vegan Sugar Cookies
I love decorating sugar cookies, and it’s such a terrific activity to keep the kids busy while you get dinner ready. This dairy-free recipe is every bit as sweet as your standard sugar cookie dough. Bake until the edges are golden and the center is pale. They’ll firm up as they cool, so you can decorate without worrying about any breakages.
9. Cinnamon Stars
These cinnamon stars are super popular in Germany and for good reason. They’re crisp, naturally gluten-free, and effortless to decorate. Between the ground hazelnuts and almonds, these are pleasantly nutty with just a hint of cinnamon spice.
10. Vegan Shortbread Cookies
Sugar cookies are great, but I much prefer the richness of shortbread. Plus, they’ll only need three ingredients and are always egg-free. With all the new vegan butters available these days, you won’t have any trouble whipping up a batch of these vegan shortbread cookies.
11. Vanilla Crescent Cookies
Here’s another traditional German holiday cookie, and it’s just as nutty and scrumptious as the ones above. They’ll take a little more time to roll and shape, but it’s more than worth it when you get to dusting the whole plate with powdered sugar.
12. Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
Thumbprint cookies are ideal for the holidays. Not only are they straightforward, but you can make them into a variety of flavors. Use everything from raspberry jam and vegan lemon curd to caramel and chocolate ganache. One batch of dough can give you a whole slew of colorful and tasty treats.
13. Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
If you want cookies that will stand out in a crowd, these chocolate hazelnut cookies are for you. They’re so thick and chewy; you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one. And with all those crunchy nuts on top, I’ll bet your family and friends will feel the same way. Did I mention they’re sugar-free? I won’t tell if you won’t!
14. Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I think these are my favorite on the whole list. Sweet, salty, and loaded with gooey chocolate chips, they tick every cookie box and then some! It’s crucial that you use brown sugar if you want these chewy, but white will work in a pinch.
15. Gluten-Free Spritz Cookies
If you need to make a massive batch of cookies and want something quick and easy, these spritz cookies are ideal. They’re mildly flavored, so you know everyone will enjoy them, and you can add whatever glaze you like to jazz them up. With the right cookie press, you’ll have as many as 14 different shapes and sizes in minutes.
16. Vegan Snowball Cookies
You might also know these as Mexican wedding cookies, but either way, they’re buttery, crumbly, and extra festive. Loaded with ground pecans, they’re nutty and tender. But unlike the crinkle cookies above, they won’t get rolled in powdered sugar until after they’re baked and cooled.
17. Vegan Gingerbread Biscotti
These are elegant cookies you’ll want to save for the grown-ups. Not only are they incredibly crunchy, but they’re also brimming with intense spices and chewy dried cranberries. In addition, you’ll use candied ginger, which is both sweet and spicy and offers a much more complex flavor than ground ginger.
18. Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
As you might’ve guessed, these almond flour cookies are gluten-free as well as dairy-free. Using almond flour is a terrific way to make gluten-free cookies because they add natural oils to the dough, keeping them nice and tender. If you’re not a fan of matcha, try making a simple berry glaze using berry juice (from thawed frozen berries) mixed with powdered sugar and a dash of lemon juice.
19. Vegan Orange Cinnamon Christmas Cookies
I’m a huge fan of using orange in baking, and these citrus spiced cookies are proof it’s better than lemon! Made using ground nuts and oat flour, these are pretty dense but lovely and crumbly. I like to add orange zest for even more flavor.
20. Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
Eggs are typically used to bind ingredients and add rich flavor. Luckily, you can get both using fresh pumpkin puree. Mix that with mashed bananas and maple syrup for added sweetness and oats for a chewy finish, and these will soon become your new vegan go-to cookies.
21. Triple Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
I eat pistachios year-round, but their green hue makes them the best choice for Christmas baking. Between the chocolate fudge protein powder and applesauce, these might just be the healthiest cookies on the list.
22. Amazing Chewy Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal cookies should be thick, fluffy, chewy, and loaded with raisins. These cookies are all that and then some. You’ll use oat flour to make them gluten-free and flaxseed in place of any eggs.
23. Salted Caramel & Pecan Vegan Shortbread Bars
Creamy caramel and buttery shortbread in vegan form? Is it possible? You’ll be surprised what vegan butter and coconut milk can do. These caramel bars are sticky and sweet and loaded with nutty goodness. Trust me when I say you’ll want to double this recipe so you can squirrel some away for yourself.
24. Vegan Mint Chocolate Cookies
These incredible dairy-free cookies are like a cross between the classic Oreo and a Peppermint Pattie. They’re richly chocolatey and crisp with a pleasant and refreshing mint cream in the middle.
25. Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
If you want to make traditional thumbprint cookies but don’t feel like making them fruity, this recipe is the next best thing. Nestled in the middle of a tender chocolate cookie base sits a dollop of melted chocolate and crunchy candy cane bits.
26. Vegan Molasses Ginger Cookies
Molasses is the crucial ingredient for dark and chewy ginger cookies, and mostly it’s vegan. Still, be sure to double-check the ingredients, just in case. You’ll need aquafaba for this, which can be used in other vegan baking recipes as well.
27. Vegan Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Those chocolate crinkle cookies have that snowy effect going on, but I think this red velvet version is way more festive. But don’t worry, these are just as thick and chewy, and you can always add some white chocolate chips for added creaminess.
28. Italian Rainbow Cookies
These festive cookies are a staple in New York each holiday season. Yes, they’re available year-round, but I’ve never eaten them more than over the holidays. They’ll need a little more time to make, bake, and assemble, but it’s so worth it when you slice into the slab to reveal the colors.
29. Vegan Oreos
Oreos are technically already vegan, but since they’re made in a large factory, there’s always the possibility of cross-contamination. So, if you or a loved one has a craving for Oreos but usually avoids them, now’s your chance to indulge.
30. Chocolate Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
These funky reindeer cookies will be a sure-fire hit at your next Christmas party. Plus, they’re so simple, you could even have the kids help you make them. I used mashed bananas in place of flax because I prefer the flavor with the peanut butter, or you could also use applesauce. Click on a star to rate it!
Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 1 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.
Share on social media: Let us improve this post!
