Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by Joelle
Simple Sugar CookiesIngredients (use vegan versions): 1 1/2 cup flour (I use organic, unbleached, white flour)
1/2 cup sugar (I use Florida Crystals)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 egg replacer
cinnamon and sugar for coating
Directions:Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in measuring cup (make sure they're blended well). Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Using hands, form dough into a big ball. (If it sticks together well, then its the right consistency. If not, then add a bit of water and mix it well.)
Form dough into cookie sized balls and roll into cinnamon vegan sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball a little bit. Bake at 375 degrees for about 7 minutes.
Makes about 18 cookies (depending on how much dough you eat before you bake them!)
NOTE: This is a modification of a recipe that appeared here before, but I couldnt find it to modify it in the comments section.
Preparation time: 15 min
Wow! These were so easy and quick to make! I'm on my second batch right now.
Great for a vegan sugar fix when you have limited products.
Archived comment by: kristina
These were discusting after you cook them-the dough was really good though. I just saved the extra dough and threw it in the freezer and now I put small chuncks on my ice cream, sooo good. Something weird happens after you bake them though =-/
Archived comment by: sexy_tofu
Wow!! These cookies were fantastic!! A little on the salty side, though. That was probably a mismeasurement on my part.
They taste just like the cookies my mom used to make when I was little. Thanks for sharing the recipie with us!!
Archived comment by: missVeganAmerica
hi, this is my recipe, but I've got a new handle now; anyway, just wanted to add that I've also started baking them at 350 for about 10 minutes, maybe a little less. Not sure if this helps with the texture or not... but either way you cook them, I like them alot. as long as the dough is cooked thoroughly in the middle. I've also been toying around with other extracts to add in along with the vanilla. I've tried a batch with lemon extract and just rolling them in vegan sugar instead of cinnamon sugar, and orange extract with and without the cinnamon sugar. this is a really easy recipe to experiment with, because the proportions don't have to be exact. have fun. Joelle.
Archived comment by: sparkle_j
I made these for my husband and I and we've gone through 2 batches already!
They are delious!
Perfect for the holidays
Archived comment by: lk33408
i tried this recipe w whole wheat flour--- not a reccomendation! the dough was a bit flaky, and hard to mold into cookie cutter shapes. also, they didn't rise on the pan... but the dough was really good!
Archived comment by: ealexsism
The original consistency of the cookies before I added the extra water was very dry and crumbly and hard to work with. I ended up having to add more and more water because the mixture wouldn't stay together, and then I had to add more flour to counter that. The cookies turned out to be something between an actual cookie and a cake.
Archived comment by: xemcats
OK, I've tried these again and have more comments: I DO NOT recommend DOUBLING this recipe!
You can use less salt, and less oil, than the recipe calls for. Bake on 350 for a bit longer, 10 to 12 minutes (when they're done, the bottom will be golden and the top won't look shiny from the oil). The flour begins to expand if you let the dough sit for awhile before molding into cookies. The dough will then be springy - hard to stretch. But it bakes up nicely and rises in the oven.
Archived comment by: mamadriver
Thanks for the great recipe! I used 1/3 cup oil, a dollop of applesauce instead of maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon orange extract instead of vanilla--they came out fabulous
Archived comment by: morg
These are delicious!! A super easy, quick recipe I can experiment with! I enjoyed reading everyone elses comments too, thanks for this great recipie!
Archived comment by: kris03
These were pretty amazing!!! They were a huge hit with the whole family. I also added a hint of almond extract (maybe 1/4 tsp. ) because I didn't have maple syrup. Very good recipe!
Archived comment by: doglover788
Love it! Thanks Joelle. I modified your recipe to make Molassas Sugar Cookies. Substitute molassas for the maple syrup, and add 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon.
Archived comment by: seattleVegan
adding x amount of lemon juice(depending on how lemony you want it) its so tasty!
Archived comment by: eatMOREsoyCHICKEN
the dough was so yummy! the finishe'd cookies are really good, too. they smell just like those little donuts when they're in the oven. thank you for this recipe, i needed a sugar fix! they take absolutely no time at all and i have all the ingredients just sitting in my cupboard.
Archived comment by: malloreigh
This recipe does not make very many cookies (about 6), so you may want to double, triple, etc. it. Also, these just would not cook all the way through. I ended up cooking them for 20 minutes, and they were still raw in the middle. The dough was not too wet (in fact, I was going to add water, as suggested b/c it was a bit dry), so I'm not sure why they didn't cook completely.
Archived comment by: kparsons
These were super good, but I did some alterations. First I did 1/2 tbls vanilla and 1/2 tbls almond extract. I left out the maple (:-(), and I used half the oil recommended. I added enough water to come up with a dough. It worked out because the cookies were fabulous. This was my first time making them so next time I'll definitely aim to use less oil. Bleh. This worked for now though. Mmmmm....
Archived comment by: balboalust
I had to add about 1/4 cup of water to make the dough consistent, but once I did, it worked out. I loved the quickness and ease of the recipe and how I didn't have to shop for the ingredients. The real test will be the kids, though....
Archived comment by: japanesemacaque
What kind of oil would you all recommend? I like using organic walnut oil, but wonder if its flavor might overwhelm the delicacy of the cookies. Any suggestions? Sesame oil? Olive oil?
Archived comment by: contentezza
Contentezza--I always use canola oil when I make this recipe. I'd suggest any oil that has a mild flavor.
Archived comment by: willwolf
I started these at 9:40 pm, because my daughters school was decorating sugar cookies the next morning. As she has food allergies, I wanted her to have something to decorate that she could actually eat! I didn't have any egg replacer, so I tried adding 1/2 a mashed banana and 1/4 tsp of baking powder to the wet ingredients. They were delicious (mom snuck a taste too!)! Shes so excited to have cookies of her own! Thanks, sparkle_j!
Archived comment by: pammalou
well. these were very very very good. and, even though i hate saying this cus it seems like everyone does...my whole carnivorous family liked them...they were eating THEIR sugar cookies and some said my vegan ones were better. so, some people were like these are discusting (i love you sexy tofu!) but these turned out yummilicious. and the dough was soo gooooood. yike! but they were a little, okay ALOT on the greasy side, maybe next time ill try reducing the oil just a wee bit. okay so that's it. my novel is finished. aawww im a food geek! no no no!!!!!
Archived comment by: nosensemakessense
I've tweaked this recipe so many times since I last posted it. I use half the amount of salt as originally listed, and about two-thirds the amount of oil, and a couple of tablespoons more of water. I haven't made these in a while, though, so I'm probably forgetting some of my alterations. Thanks for your comments, and I'm glad most of you liked them. Oh, and to the person, who said that the recipe only makes six cookies, and then went on to mention that they didn't cook all the way through, I have a question: How big did you make these? Typically, I roll them into 1 1/2 inch balls. Yours must have been enormous! No wonder they didn't cook all the way through. Also, I recommend cooking for 11 minutes at 375. That seems to be my standard cooking time and temp these days, and I have success with it. Enjoy! -Joelle.
Archived comment by: sparkle_j
Mine turned out more like a muffin/donut...so i made some icing and drizzled it on top and the kids loved it! I also used sucanat so maybe that is why the difference in texture?
Archived comment by: couple4christ
I made these last night for my playwrighting class, and they were a huge hit today! A lot of people asked me for the recipe. I substituted the 8tbs of oil with 8tbs of Earth Balance vegan buttery spread because I was afraid the cookies would be too greasy. In the second batch, I used 10tbs, and it yeilded a much softer cookie. I reccommend using 9-10 tbs earth balance, which gave the cookie a nice buttery flavor without getting greasy. Instead of moistening with water, I used Very Vanilla Silk Soymilk, which enhanced the flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Archived comment by: iFindYouAmusing
These taste great and you can make them very quickly. I'll definitely be making these again!
Archived comment by: i0like0it0raw
these cookies turned out great! howe'ver, does anyone know a good vegan icing recipe? after not being able to find one on this site, I tried to convert a conventional recipe that i found on the web. it wouldn't harden, stayed all gooey & runny. my poor little cookies had to swim:(. my boyfriend & i are trying to make vegan versions of those iced sugar cookies that my mom used to buy me from the grocery store - any help would be appreciated.
Archived comment by: mgregory
Thumbs down! These cookies were a disaster. The dough was impossible to work with, it wouldn't form into cookie shapes, it didn't rise at all, and the finishe'd product wouldn't stay together. They were salty-tasting, to boot. Sugar cookies are so simple ... how could this recipe go so wrong?
Archived comment by: stonehenge
These cookies weren't what I expected, and I wasn't too keen on them at first. But they grew on me and I ate them all ;-) I'll be making them again this weekend for my boyfriend. They were kinda cakey and the dough was a bit gooey (I probably added too much water), but they were still good. I used a mixture of ground flax and water for the egg, so I think that's part of the reason for the cakey-ness. I wonder what would make them lighter?
Archived comment by: brandynickels
These were really good. I haven't had sugar cookies since I've become vegan. They tasted kind of like cinnamon cookies, but that's good. I'm going to make them for my uncle who's allergic to eggs!
Archived comment by: eatYRVeggies
I agree with comments suggesting using slightly less oil (maybe 6 tbs, or 3/8 of a cup), less salt, a few splashes of water or soymilk, and using a baking time of 10 min. at 350 degrees. These have turned out well for me several times already, and I plan on making several more batches in the near future. And really, the recipe as is should be called snickerdoodles, though its a versatile recipe.
So good.
Archived comment by: cryo
These are the best tasting and simplest cookies I have ever made, and I've **baked** some cookies! = )I didn't have any real egg replacer so I used 1.5 tsp. water, 1.5 tbls oil and 1 tsp of baking powder for the egg. I'd never done that before, but it worked great! I use Turbinado sugar and whole wheat pastry flour. I can't wait to vary the flavorings!! Thank you so much for proving that I'm still living the sweet life!
Archived comment by: maggieSweet
Ok. I've gotten to the point that i love this recipe so much that I now know it by heart. Sometimes I change them a little by adding some Ginger or before putting them in the oven i put a small amount of vegan butter in the center of the balls then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon (this is the best way) They always come out perfectly doughy.
Archived comment by: startledpixie
I've continued to make these and have, like others, almost memorized the recipe (with a couple of modifications) - I always get rave reviews. I recently tried adding ground cardamom to the cinnamon/sugar to give them a bit of an Indian flavor (yum!), and when I get motivated I'm making almond and orange versions, perhaps with frosting.
Archived comment by: cryo
AWSOME, AWSOME, AWSOME. This made 20 cookies for me, but I tend to make tem rather small (2 1/2-3 inch diameter). I love them, I love them, oh how I love them. Thanks, my dear.
Archived comment by: stellar26
I agree! These are great! I used whole wheat flour instead of white, and also used 1/2 mashed banana + 1/4 tsp baking powder for the egg, sprinkled cinnamon in the mix before baking instead of rolling the dough in it because my dough was a little too doughy. I also used 12 tsp. of earth balance vegan margerine instead of the oil. I baked it for 12 min on 375, and these little things are dangerous! I wanna eat em all up right now!! yikes
Thanks for the recipie
Archived comment by: calimeli
i un-veganized your delicious vegan cookies. i used regular sugar, replaced the vanilla and maple syrup with chocolate syrup, and used a real egg. the result was a chewy cookie with a very subtle flavor- tasty. im sure these are great if you stick to the recipe as well (no vegan supplies available).
Archived comment by: sprostongreen
When I cooked these, it took WAY longer than 7 minutes, like 20 and they were still kind of doughy inside. So the precooked dough tasted alright, but something is off about the cooking, may need to lighten it up with soy milk and more baking powder, I'm not sure. 5 out of 10
Archived comment by: fettolsiris
Very good sugar cookie recipe. I used a pinch less salt, 3/8 cup canola oil, and 3 TBSP applesauce with a pinch of baking powder for the egg replacer. I used even TBSP scoops and baked at 375 for 12 minutes. The dough looks funny, but that's what you get with cookie recipes that use oil instead of solid fat. Dont worry, though, the cookies turn out great!
Archived comment by: mbenedet
So, I decided to try this recipe on a whim -- turned out great! I did end up having to add about 1/4 cup of water: they turned out like delicious, chewy snickerdoodles. I think the problem most people are encountering is that they are trying to make the cookies too big -- the smallest ones I rolled out turned out to be the tastiest, slightly crispy on the outside. I also baked them for about 15 minutes instead of 7.
Archived comment by: jaquelinedaniels
I made these with a T of applesauce instead of maple syrup. Scrumptious! I forgot to press my first batch until they'd baked for 7 minutes. Then I pressed and baked for 3 more. The cookies were a perfect consistency. My second batch -- made with 1/2 regular sugar and almond extract instead of vanilla, and pressed from the start -- did not bind as well, but scrumptious just the same!
Archived comment by: cyllee
These were the best sugar cookies ever! I already had all of the ingredients and they were SO easy to make! Great recipe.
Archived comment by: smbolisnch
We altered the recipe a little bit because we didn't have all of the ingredients, and to our surprise, they turned out to be delicious! If you don't have pure maple syrup and vanilla extract, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of your typical pancake syrup as a substitute...they end up tasting great! We added another tablespoon or so of oil because the dough wasn't sticking, and a little bit of water. Great recipe for a limited amount of ingredients
Archived comment by: zotohzhaan
very good. I used 1/4 cup cinnamon flavored applesauce for the egg. I wanted to cut these into shapes but the consistency is to thin. any suggestions?
Archived comment by: amafiaprincess
Really a great recipe, thanks Joelle. I generally substitute 2T of soymilk for 2 of the Ts of oil and I use 1/2 cup of bread flour (for chewier cookies), as well as skipping the egg replacer. If you cream the fats and sugar together, no matter what the fat, you wind up with a much better cookie. The dough will be looser (sandier) than if you had simply blended everything, but it will hold together, and the finishe'd product will taste MUCH better. Texture is very important. This may be redundant for experienced vegan bakers, but for the rest of us, don't just mix everything together all at once-- cream fats and sugar, then add dry. This might help some of the problems that others are having.
Archived comment by: oldman
Amazing! I bake nearly daily, and I have had a horrible time finding a good recipe for sugar cookies that does not come out cakey or bland. This one is awesome! Its sweet but not overpowering, and has a great soft but chewy texture. Extremely simple to make. I used 8 tbs of margarine instead of oil, and used flaxseed for the egg replacment. When i added the dry ingredients it was to dry, but i microwaved it for a few seconds so the marg. would melt and it worked perfectly. Simply delicious!
Archived comment by: jaimes
