Delicious, buttery shortbread biscuits that are so easy to make. Too easy, in fact. Ice them, add flavourings or just enjoy them exactly as they are!
It’s always too tempting to quickly whip up a batch of these to have “just a few” to nibble on and inevitably eat the entire lot to yourself… because it’s impossible to have “just a few”.
How to make the perfect Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Use a good-tasting vegan butter – I recommend Naturli or Earth Balance Buttery, if you want that classic buttery flavour.
- Cream the fat and sugar well – The first step of the recipe is to cream the vegan spread with the sugar and it’s an important one.
The longer you can mix them together for, the better.
I usually aim for about 5 minutes but you can increase that for up to 10 minutes if you have a stand mixer. - Chill the dough – This part is important for a couple of reasons.
First, so that the dough becomes workable and doesn’t lose its shape.
Second, so the fat firms up and doesn’t melt too quickly in the oven. This part really affects the overall texture and shape.
Extra Tip: You can try chilling the dough twice, for the perfect outcome. Once before you cut out your shapes and then again after the shapes are cut. - Bake at a lower temperature – As mentioned above, we don’t want the vegan butter to melt too quickly in the oven, resulting in misshapen and tough cookies.
I recommend 160 C (320 F) or 140 C Fan. However, you may need to increase the temperature, depending on your oven.
Decoration
I like to just cut into circle shapes and dust with some icing sugar but you can cut these into any shapes, just making sure they are not too thick or thin.
For the classic shortbread look, you can also poke holes into the top, with a fork. This actually helps the cookies bake more evenly too!
And if you want to go the full hog and decorate these with icing, I recommend my vegan royal icing which is easy to pipe and has the perfect finish.
Flavourings
Chocolate shortbread – Add 20g of cocoa and reduce the flour to 270g (thank you to Katy for sharing this tip)
Lemon – Add 2 tablespoons finely-grated lemon zest to the dough.
Lavender – Add 1 ½ teaspoons dried lavender to the dough.
Chocolate Chip – See my recipe here.
Pair this shortbread with…
Vegan Strawberry Shortbread Ice Cream
📖 Recipe
Vegan Shortbread
The perfect buttery vegan shortbread cookies, great for Christmas or to give as gifts. Really easy to whip up and can be shaped or decorated to your choosing.
Ingredients
- 200 g / 7 oz dairy-free butter, I used Vitalite
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 100 g / 3.5 oz caster sugar
- 300 g / 10.5 oz plain flour, sifted
Instructions
- Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar together. Stir in the flour and mix into a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160C / 140C (fan) / 320F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll out to approximately ½ cm thickness and cut into shapes. Place on the baking sheet, sprinkle with a little extra sugar and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown at the edges, turning half way through to ensure even baking.
- Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving or decorating.
Notes
For decorating, try my vegan royal icing recipe.
Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 1 CookieAmount Per Serving Calories 146Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 22mgSodium 65mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 0gSugar 5gProtein 2g
Jay Cee says
Just made these following the recipe and method and the bickes are raw 😢 and gooey 😢
Aimee says
If they’re raw, then they haven’t been baked long enough. You may need to increase your oven temperature too, as all ovens run slightly differently (temperature-wise). Another note is to be careful not to overwork the dough as this can cause a gummy texture. They should be turning slightly golden when they are baked.
Neus Martinez says
Hello! I tried this recipe yesterday and I had to adjust the temperature to 180 and bake the biscuits for around 15-17 to get the golden brown edges. They are delicious though! This is my first time baking shortbread (one of my favs!) and I love the results :)
Aimee says
Hi Neus, aw so glad you enjoyed them! And thank you for your note about the baking temp. A few people have said this but then other people find they need the lower temperature (as do I). Proof that ovens run a lot hotter than others! I’ll try to make this more clear in the recipe notes.
Lucy says
This is a great recipe, thanks so much! My four year old and I have made these quite a few times now, he loves to decorate them – so far we’ve made them into monsters, spiders, sheep :) I’ve found I have to bake them on 180 degrees for 20 mins in my oven. Looking forward to trying out some of your other recipes
Aimee says
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Lucy. So glad you and your son have been enjoying the recipe :-)
That’s helpful to know about the cooking temperature, I’ll make a note of that in the post. All ovens seem to behave so differently!
Lucia Fedorchuk says
Thanks for this yummy recipe. I was struggling to find a vegan dessert for my friends birthday. A life saver!
jackie says
really great recipe.
Thanks cant wait to try more of your recipes.
Katy says
I’ve made two batches of these since discovering the recipe – I added 20g of cocoa and reduced the flour to 270g. Works perfectly. My nephews and niece were very delighted! Fab recipe -easy to make and very tasty!
Aimee says
So glad to hear that! Thank you, Katy
improkitchen says
I will bake those tomorrow :) Thanks for sharing
Aimee says
Enjoy! :-)
Stephanie Owens says
Hi, I love this recipe and use it for my vegan treatboxes. Would the dough be suitable for freezing once it has been made please?
Aimee says
Hi Stephanie. Glad you like the recipe! Yes, you can freeze the dough. Once you’ve prepared the dough, cut into shapes, arrange on a plate or tray and freeze for a couple of hours, until solid. Then you can place the cut out shapes into a freezer bag or container, for up to 3 months. You can cook from frozen, allowing a few minutes extra baking time.
Lisa says
Judging by the rest of the comments I must have done something wrong or my even really is as c*”p as I thought it was because 20 minutes later I’m Still waiting for them to cook.
Aimee says
haha oh no! I hope they finally baked. By the way, it’s normal for them to be a bit soft when hot – the shortbread will firm up as it cools.
Heather says
Same! I ended up turning the over up a bit after they’d been in for about 13 minutes and looked not even close to being done. They ended up coming out great though! I hope yours eventually did also!
Katrina Heywood says
Could I add some cocoa powder to make choc flavoured shortbread?
Aimee says
Hi Katrina. Yes, you can do that (although, please bear in mind I haven’t tested this myself yet.) But try using 250g flour instead and then adding 25g or 4 tbsp cocoa powder. If the dough is a bit dry, add in some more vegan butter or if too wet, more flour. Good luck and let me know how it turns out. I Will test this myself sometime soon.
Katrina Heywood says
Thanks Aimee I’ll give it a go this weekend…
Katrina Heywood says
So I just tried this variation. It worked ok but the dough was a little too soft. I’d recommend more flour than the 250g. I made both versions and the original recipe had a better texture. Really good thanks! Good tip about them still being soft whrn they come out of the oven…
Sarah Clark says
Hi, First time with this recipe and the dough is very sticky and a loose consistency (if that makes sense) Not sure if its to do with the vegan butter I used…. Have put it back in the fridge and will give it longer to chill to see if that helps. Any ideas as to what may have gone wrong? Thanks
Maisy says
Hey I want to make these tomorrow but is vanilla extract okay? And if so how much do I need
Thanks xx
Aimee says
Hi Maisy, sorry for the late reply. Yes, a teaspsoon of vanilla extract is fine!
Koko says
You need 2 tea spoons of vanilla extract.
Anonymouscookie says
I thought it was 1 teaspoon
anna says
It’s 1 tsp of vanilla paste. PASTE.
Or…
2 tsp of vanilla extract. EXTRACT.
Different consistency and different concentration.
Jennie says
Hi,
How long will these keep? Can I make them ahead?
Thanks
Yolanda says
Hi. How can I substitute vegan butter for coconut oil or other as I can not access vegan butter
Koko says
No not really, coconut oil is very moist and it would work differently with the flour is would be very crumbly .
hell says
can i eat them
Rael says
Hi, thanks for this recipe
How many does it make? Thank you
Sue says
Please can I freeze the dough as I have made too much. If I can how long can I freeze it for as I won’t need it till just before Christmas.
I have a dairy free customer who always has these with her cakes now.
Theresa Remmer says
I should also like to know if you can freeze the dough.
Robert Papper says
Hi absolutely love these cookies I made them for my vegan niece for our Xmas spread and she loved them so much she keeps asking me make time and time
LUZ BAEZA says
Hi
Absolutely love your recipes, I will try and make the biscuits, but will love to add sprinkles like the heart shaped ones you have, how and when do you add them so they will stick?
Aimee says
Do you mean sprinkles in the batter or on top as decoration? For the batter, simply add them into the mix (make sure they’re bake-proof) and for decoration, add some royal icing and add the sprinkles on top immediately before it sets.
Tracy Mcdonald says
Hello. Can I make the dough and chill it for 24 hours?
Aimee says
Yes, it should keep well for a couple of days in the fridge!
Rebecca says
Just made these and added juice and zest of one small orange and handful of chocolate chips- taste and baked delicious. Didn’t actually chill for full 30 mins and still worked perfectly! Cut the cookies into Christmas tree shapes. Will definitely be using this recipe again and altering it for new flavours! Thanks for this simple recipe
Aimee says
Oh those additions sound delicious! So glad you enjoyed them :)
Suzanne Grace says
Hi
Can I use gluten free flour
Aimee says
You can, it will affect the texture slightly but it’s still nice! Hope you enjoy.
Jess says
Not sure what I did wrong here but it took about 45 minutes for mine to bake! I have a fan oven and so put it on 140c, I did turn it up after the first batch but even then these biscuits needed 15 minutes a side.
Aimee says
Oh wow, it definitely shouldn’t take that long! Did you cut the cookies very thick? I would turn the oven up to at least 160 fan too.
Amy says
I’m having the same issue, they have been in half an hour and they still look anaemic haha, have whacked up the temp to 160. I’m sure they’ll taste great though!
Alex says
Where do you get vanilla paste from? Will it make a difference if I use vanilla extract?
Aimee says
You can use vanilla extract too!
Missy says
Hi,
I was wondering if I could substitute shortening for the vegan butter. I need a dairy free option and have shortening on hand.
Thank you!
Aimee says
Hi Missy, it’s really important to have a good tasting, buttery spread here so shortening won’t taste very nice. Maybe a sunflower or coconut based spread, like Vitalite or Flora dairy-free.
Missy says
Thank you for your speedy response! I’ll try one of those
Audrey Grove says
Hi – this recipe looks amazing. Can you convert it to not metric? thank you so much!
Audrey
Aimee says
Under the ingredient list, you will see “Metric – US” Click “US” to reveal the cups and oz measurements. For quick reference its:
1 tsp vanilla paste
0.5 cups caster sugar
2.4 cups plain flour sifted
Matt Watson says
Just made these with half caster/half demerera (as that’s all I had in the cupboard), plus a few raisins and they were spectacular! Thanks for such a simple, great recipe, already saved to my favourites!
Aimee says
So happy you enjoyed them, Matt! Thanks for the comment
lacey says
Just felt that I should inform you that I discovered this recipe two years ago and I always come back to your website whenever I’m in need of some baking goodness. Thanks for being so fab!
Aimee says
That is so kind – thank you, Lacey! Your comment made my day :-)
Kellyann says
Hello im wondering if this recipe can be made into a gingerbread house minus the ginger and if it works with gluten free flour please
Luwam says
Hi can you use oil instead of butter since they’re used for the same thing?
Aimee says
You can, but the result is very different. I used some olive oil (but you can use another vegetable oil) in this shortbread recipe: http://wallflowerkitchen.com/rose-pistachio-olive-oil-shortbread/ and the texture is more crumbly but not as buttery. For classic shortbread, I recommend the vegan butter but that doesn’t mean using the oil won’t result in a delicious cookie! Let me know how it goes.
carolyn says
The first time I made these bix they were brilliant but each subsequent time I tried they did not work out the same. I used exactly the same ingredients and made them in the same way. The first time they were nice and crumble and the dough was fairly soft to roll out but the next few batches were more like pastry and quite hard when baked. What have I been doing wrong?
Vicki says
Hey!
You may be overmixing/kneading the dough! Both of these things can make the dough tougher.
Hope this helps.
rebecca wilson says
Hi, any chance you could make these into chocolate ahortbread with coco? would you just substitute some flour with coco?
Hope says
I made this twice recently and it turned out too dry to be able to roll out for cookies even after being chilled? Does anyone have any advice? I followed the recipe so not sure what I did wrong? It did work out well in a square baking tin though.
Robyn says
Maybe leave the dough a little bit longer before you roll it out. You could also try playing around with it before you put it in the fridge. This worked for me.
Joanne says
I roll mine out straight away and cut into shapes then put on a baking tray and pop it in the fridge for 30 mins , works every time
Rachel says
how well do you think this recipe would do being used as a crust in say a 9×13 pan? i’ve got millionaire bars on the brain! thanks!
Holly says
I am thinking exactly the same! did you do it and if so did it work out? I’m really hoping it did – mega drool!! xx
Hope says
It works well like that
Heather says
I have just made these and they have turned out great thank you.
Courtney says
Helpppp. I’ve made them twice now and the “dough” is a crumbley mess. Even after being in the fridge it just crumbles. Doesn’t resemble dough to roll out in any way. I ended up just making balls and cooking them that way but what am I doing wrong?? I’d love to use Christmas cutters.
Aimee says
Hi Courtney – you either need to add a bit more butter or add in a few drops of dairy-free milk (not too much though). Just keep adding small amounts of the butter and a few drops of the milk until the dough comes together. Be careful not to over-mix the dough though, otherwise it will become tough. Hope that helps – good luck!
Hope says
This helps me too thank you. Also Did you have to kneed the mixture or just mix with a wooden spoon?
Kristen Johnson says
Mine is also a crumbling mess
Skye says
Hi these look delicious- would it be possible to use gluten free flour to make them?
Sarah says
They’re really tasty very nice and quick to make
Thanks for the recipe
Aimee says
Pleased you enjoyed them, thank you Sarah!
Joy says
I made these yesterday but doctored the recipe a tad. I used 50/50 refined coconut oil and vegan margarine, also 50/50 standard self raisong flour and gluten free plain flour (gluten free gives a crumbly texture). I added a pinch of pink salt to make the biscuits buttery. Also added some finely chopped crytalised ginger and the zest of two lemons. They’re very tasty indeed. Thank you xx
Greg says
Thanks for recipe!
So buttery yum,
To make even simpler, put dough in refrigerator in the shape of a 1 inch
Diameter cyclinder. After half hour slice up and put on tray
Thank you very much
Aimee says
Good idea, thanks Greg! Glad you enjoyed the recipe
Andrea says
Thanks for this. I’ve just found this blog and today I managed to make these biscuits with my cmpa and egg allergic toddler. It was so nice to be able to do safe baking with her and to have something tasty at the end.
Matily says
This is the best vegan biscuit recipe I’ve found so far – and the simplest! I like flavoured biscuits more than plain so I’ve been adding different flavours each time. So far I’ve tried it with chocolate chips (medium good), ginger (very good) and orange and cardomon for Christmas (excellent), today I’ve just done a little mixed spices. Thank you for the recipe.
Aimee says
That makes me so happy to hear, thanks Matily! The ginger addition sounds amazing – I gotta try that next time.
Danielle Degville says
Hello. Thank you for this recipe. It’s incredible! I topped with cinnamon sugar and it was very tasty.
Can you freeze these to keep them? (If i haven’t eaten them all…)
Aimee says
So glad you enjoyed them Danielle! I’m not 100% sure but I’d say they can be frozen just fine, just like any other cookie :-) Love the idea of topping with cinnamon sugar, by the way.
Kerry says
Hi there, I just wondered if you can chill the dough overnight?
Aimee says
Hi Kerry, yes you can :-) Just make sure to leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling.
Marie-klaude says
I’m ready to make those but have no idea what vanilla paste is…I’ve never heard of it. Where do I find it and can I substitute with something else?
Aimee says
You can just use vanilla extract :-)
Janet says
What is castor sugar? Can I substitute regular white sugar?
Aimee says
Hi Janet, caster sugar is regular sugar but more fine. It’s in between granulated and powdered. You can use regular sugar but make sure to use the same weight (not cup measurements). Hope that helps!
Rabbit says
Made these and we can’t just eat one..so yummy!!! Can you please tell me how long they stay fresh for?
Aimee says
So glad you liked them! I would say up to 4 days in an air-tight container or tin. Enjoy!
jude Nevard says
I doubled the amounts and made an apple and cinnamon tray bake by squashing half into the bottom of a tin and spreading chopped apple, sultanas and cinnamon with a bit of brown sugar then piling the rest on top and pressing flat. It was awesome. Thank you for the recipe ‘
Aimee says
Wow, that sounds delicious! Such a creative idea. Glad my shortbread played a part :-)
Rachael says
Omg!!! Genius
kylieanne says
i am a school student and this recipe saved my life in my food lesson so thank you because I couldn’t find any other meal that looked nice so very bit thank you xxx
Aimee says
So glad to hear that, Kylianne! Thanks for letting me know x
Ksana says
Hi i am in spain and cocnut olí is Hard to come by world this resipe work with sunflower oil ?
Aimee says
Hi Ksana, if you can’t find dairy-free butter, then you could try oil, although I haven’t tested this myself. The taste won’t be “buttery” though. Let me know if you try it!
Emma says
Hi Aimee or anyone else who may know,
Is it possible to substitute a teaspoon vanilla paste with a teaspoon organic vanilla essence?
Hoping to make tomorrow for Chrissy. Thanks in advance.
Aimee says
Hi Emma, yes vanilla extract or essence is absolutely fine!
Emma says
Thank you! :)
Enjoy the holidays and all the best for the new year. Em x
Luke says
Wow, looks like an amazing recipe! How long will they stay fresh/edible for? Thanks!
Sally says
I am making these as we speak for my vegan friend! I’m using them as the base for a vegan twix bar haha I have had to cook them for a lot longer than listed so if anyone is reading this, don’t stress if you need to keep them in for double the time. Could just be my oven but they are coming out so nicely regardless :)
Beck says
These were really easy to make and tasted good. I think adding a pinch of salt would improve them!
Lex says
Second time making these, currently in the over so fingers crossed! Added dark chocolate chips this time :o the first batch a few weeks ago was so gorgeous I couldn’t help myself! Thanks for the simple recipe :)
Lex xo
Aimee says
Thank you Lex! So glad you like the recipe. They’re so good aren’t they? I’m definitely going to make a chocolate chip version next… x
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
These look perfect Aimee! I have such a weakness for buttery shortbread. Love that this is vegan too!
Sofia says
I was looking for something like this the other day, love how short the ingredient list is!
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
That looks awesome! Love how simple it is too. It is always good to have basic recipes like this on hand :)
Aimee says
Absolutely! Thanks June :-)
Anca says
The recipe sounds great and the shortbread looks so cute. They are perfect on a rainy summer day :)
Aimee says
Rainy summer days are all too familiar here, perfect excuse for shortbread!
Cady | Wild Heart of Life says
Ugh I miss shortbread! These are simply beautiful, Aimee!
Aimee says
Sounds like you need to bake yourself some shortbread, Cady! :-)
Cady | Wild Heart of Life says
I think you’re right.. Weekend project decided! ;)
nadia says
Yum! Haven’t had shortbread in the longest time! Love simple recipes like this :) and they look so cute!!
Aimee says
Thank you Nadia!
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes says
LOVE this simple, vegan recipe!! I recently made vegan sugar cookies that these remind me of – Definitely pinning for future use! x
Aimee says
Thanks Christine! They’re very similar to sugar cookies, just got a more “buttery” taste :-) x
Julie Deans says
I have just made these and sprinkled them with mixed spice after cooking. Tasted very Christmassy. The kids loved them!