Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies Family-Favorite

Picture this: golden-brown cookies cooling on my kitchen counter, each one decorated with little pilgrim hats and autumn leaves, and not a single egg or stick of butter in sight. That’s what happened last November when I challenged myself to create the perfect vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies—and honestly? They turned out better than any traditional version I’d ever made.

I’ll be real with you: I’ve made this recipe at least twelve times now (yes, twelve), tweaking ratios and testing different vegan butters until I got it exactly right. The first batch? Total disaster. They spread into one giant cookie blob because I didn’t chill the dough long enough. The second batch was too cakey. But by round three, I’d cracked the code, and now these cookies are the ones my sister requests every single holiday season.

Here’s the thing about vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies—they’re not just “good for vegan cookies.” They’re legitimately incredible cookies that happen to be plant-based. The edges get this perfect crispy-chewy texture, the centers stay soft, and they hold their shape beautifully for decorating. Plus, my kitchen smelled like vanilla and maple for literally three hours after baking them, which might be my favorite part.

Whether you’re fully vegan, cooking for guests with dietary restrictions, or just curious about plant-based baking, these cookies are about to become your new Thanksgiving tradition. Trust me on this one.

Why These Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies Changed My Mind About Plant-Based Baking

I used to think vegan baking was all about compromises—you know, accepting “good enough” because you’re leaving out eggs and dairy. These vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies completely shattered that belief for me.

They Actually Taste Better Than Traditional

In my opinion, swapping vegan butter for regular butter makes the biggest difference in flavor. The plant-based version has a cleaner, less greasy taste that lets the vanilla and almond extract really shine through. I’ve served these to my decidedly non-vegan family, and not one person guessed they were egg-free until I told them.

Foolproof for Decorating

After testing this recipe multiple times, I found that these cookies hold their shape better than any traditional sugar cookie I’ve made. The edges stay clean and defined, which means your little turkey cutouts actually look like turkeys instead of… well, blobs. My 7-year-old nephew decorated a batch with me last year, and even his enthusiastic frosting application couldn’t ruin how professional they looked.

Perfect Make-Ahead Option

Real talk: Thanksgiving is chaotic enough without adding last-minute cookie baking to the mix. This dough freezes beautifully for up to three months. I learned this the hard way when I made a double batch in September, forgot about half of it in the freezer, and discovered it in November—still perfect.

Budget-Friendly Without Specialty Ingredients

You don’t need expensive vegan butter brands or fancy egg replacers for these vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies. I tested this with three different store-brand vegan butters, and they all worked great. The most “special” ingredient is aquafaba (chickpea liquid), which you probably already have if you keep a can of chickpeas in your pantry.

Recipe Details for Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

Recipe Details
Prep Time	20 minutes
Chill Time	2 hours
Baking Time	11 minutes per batch
Total Time	2 hours 45 minutes
Yield	36 medium cookies
Difficulty	Easy
Calories	95 per cookie
Protein	1g
Carbs	13g
Fat	4g

What You Need for Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

Before we dive into the ingredient list, let me tell you about the game-changer in this recipe: aquafaba. It’s literally just the liquid from a can of chickpeas, and it acts as the perfect egg white substitute. The first time I used it, I was skeptical (it looks weird, I won’t lie), but it creates that exact structure eggs usually provide. Don’t skip it—I once tried making these without it, and they came out flat and crumbly.

For the Cookies:

3 cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup vegan butter, softened (Earth Balance works great, but store brands work too)
1¼ cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (this is my secret weapon)
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (I alternate between oat and almond)

For Decorating:

Vegan royal icing or store-bought vegan frosting
Natural food coloring (orange, brown, red, yellow for fall themes)
Festive sprinkles (check labels—some contain shellac)

The almond extract is optional but highly recommended. It adds this subtle bakery-quality flavor that makes people think you’re way fancier than you actually are. I always use it.

How to Make Perfect Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

Let me walk you through this process step-by-step, including all the little tricks I’ve learned from making these so many times.

The Quick Overview

Here’s what you’re in for: We’ll cream the vegan butter and sugar together, add our aquafaba mixture, combine with dry ingredients, chill the dough (seriously, don’t skip this), roll and cut, then bake until the edges just start to turn golden. The whole active process takes maybe 30 minutes, but that chilling time is non-negotiable. It took me 23 minutes the first time I made these, but now I can get through prep in about 18 minutes flat.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep Your Dry Ingredients Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside. This seems basic, but properly mixing your dry ingredients before adding them to the wet mixture prevents flour pockets in your final dough. (I learned this after biting into a cookie with a straight-up flour chunk. Not cute.)

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar In a large bowl (or stand mixer if you’re fancy), beat the vegan butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. This step is crucial—you’re incorporating air into the mixture, which helps create that perfect tender texture. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture looks almost white and has increased in volume slightly.

Step 3: Add the Aquafaba Mixture In a small bowl, whisk together the aquafaba, vanilla extract, almond extract, and non-dairy milk. Pour this into your butter-sugar mixture and beat until fully combined, about 1 minute. Pro tip: The mixture might look slightly curdled at this stage—that’s completely normal and nothing to worry about.

Step 4: Incorporate the Dry Ingredients Add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing on low speed between each addition. Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see any more flour streaks. I once over-mixed a batch, and the cookies came out tough and chewy in a bad way. Mix until just combined, then stop.

Step 5: Chill (This Is Where Magic Happens) Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I usually make mine the night before and let it chill overnight. When I first made this recipe, I got impatient and only chilled it for 45 minutes—the cookies spread everywhere and lost their shape completely. Learn from my mistakes: give it the full 2 hours minimum.

Step 6: Roll and Cut Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use your favorite Thanksgiving cookie cutters (turkeys, leaves, pumpkins, pilgrim hats) and cut out shapes. Re-roll scraps once—after that, the dough gets overworked.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection Place cookies 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges just barely start to turn golden brown. The centers will look slightly underdone—that’s perfect. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven. I set my timer for 10 minutes and then watch them like a hawk for the next minute or two. You’ll know they’re ready when you can smell that amazing vanilla-butter aroma and the edges have the slightest golden tint.

Step 8: Cool Completely Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’re too soft to move immediately), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. This takes about 30 minutes total. I know it’s tempting to decorate them warm, but the frosting will just melt into a puddle. Patience, my friend.

My Favorite Ways to Serve These Cookies

These vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies aren’t just a dessert—they’re a whole experience at my holiday table. I usually arrange them on a tiered serving platter mixed with other fall treats, and they disappear faster than anything else.

The Classic Thanksgiving Dessert Table

I place these alongside my vegan pumpkin pie and apple crisp. The cookies add a fun, interactive element (especially for kids) and balance out the heavier, creamier desserts. Plus, they look absolutely gorgeous with autumn-themed decorating.

Coffee and Tea Pairing

Honestly? These cookies are perfect with a cup of coffee the morning after Thanksgiving. They’re not too sweet, which makes them ideal for breakfast. (Don’t judge me—Thanksgiving weekend has no rules.) They also pair beautifully with chai tea or hot apple cider.

I’ve brought these vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies to three different cookie swaps, and each time, people are shocked they’re plant-based. They hold up well for transport and look impressive on any cookie platter.

Gift Boxes for Guests

Last year, I packaged six cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon and gave them to guests as they left Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone loved having homemade cookies to take home, and it made for such a sweet parting gift.

Pro Tips from My Kitchen

Let me share the tricks I’ve picked up from making these cookies way too many times.

Use Cold Vegan Butter, Not Melted

This might seem obvious, but I’ve had friends try to rush the process by melting the vegan butter. Don’t do it. The butter needs to be softened (room temperature, not cold from the fridge) so you can cream it with the sugar properly. This creates the right texture. When I tried it with melted butter once, the cookies spread into pancakes.

The Aquafaba Must Be at Room Temperature

Cold aquafaba from the can doesn’t incorporate as well into the mixture. I let mine sit out for 15 minutes before using it, or I warm it slightly in my hands. This small step makes a surprisingly big difference in how well everything combines.

Don’t Skip the Almond Extract

Most recipes call for just vanilla, but I find that adding almond extract gives these vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies that professional bakery flavor. It’s subtle but makes people ask, “What’s your secret ingredient?” Even ¼ teaspoon would work if you’re not a huge almond fan.

Chill Between Re-Rolls

If you’re re-rolling your dough scraps, pop them back in the fridge for 15 minutes first. This prevents the dough from getting too warm and losing its shape during baking. I learned this after my third batch when I kept re-rolling without chilling and ended up with oddly-shaped blob cookies.

My Foolproof Timing Trick

Set your timer for 10 minutes, then check every 30 seconds after that. The window between “perfect” and “slightly overdone” is small. I once got distracted by a phone call and left a batch in for 14 minutes—they weren’t terrible, but they lost that soft, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Room Temperature Ingredients Make a Difference

This applies to everything: vegan butter, non-dairy milk, even the aquafaba. When all your ingredients are at similar temperatures, they combine more easily and create a smoother dough. The first time I made this recipe, I used cold ingredients straight from the fridge, and the dough was lumpy and difficult to work with.

Storing Your Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

Let’s talk about keeping these cookies fresh, because I’ve tested every storage method possible (seriously, it’s become a weird hobby).

Room Temperature Storage

Undecorated cookies stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. I use those plastic containers with the snap-on lids—nothing fancy. Layer parchment paper between cookie layers to prevent sticking. After day 3, they start to lose a tiny bit of that crispy edge, but they’re still delicious.

If you’ve already frosted your vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies, let the icing dry completely (at least 4 hours, overnight is better) before storing. Stack them with parchment paper between layers, and they’ll keep for 3-4 days. I’ve noticed that after 4 days, the moisture from the icing can make the cookies slightly softer, which some people actually prefer.

Freezing the Dough

This is my favorite trick: wrap the unbaked dough disks tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then roll and cut as usual. The quality is identical to fresh dough—I honestly cannot tell the difference.

Freezing Baked Cookies

Baked, undecorated cookies freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap (tedious but worth it) and store them in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before decorating. When I tested this in September for my November baking, the frozen cookies tasted just as fresh as the day I baked them.

Best Way to Refresh Cookies

If your cookies have been sitting out and lost some of their texture, pop them in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes. They’ll crisp up around the edges again and taste almost freshly baked. This is especially great for day-old cookies.

Decorating Ideas That Actually Work

I’ve tried every decorating technique under the sun with these vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies, and here’s what actually works without requiring professional skills.

Simple Royal Icing: Mix powdered sugar with a bit of non-dairy milk and corn syrup for a smooth, professional-looking glaze. I pipe outlines first, let them dry for 15 minutes, then flood the centers. It looks impressive but takes maybe 20 minutes for a full batch.

Fall Color Palette: Stick with warm oranges, deep browns, golden yellows, and burgundy reds. These colors scream Thanksgiving and cover up any imperfect decorating. (My piping skills are… questionable, but the right colors hide a multitude of sins.)

Texture Elements: Add texture with sanding sugar, crushed nuts (check for allergies), or even dried cranberries pressed into the icing. These add visual interest and distract from wobbly frosting lines.

Keep Some Plain: Honestly, some of my favorite cookies are the ones I dust with cinnamon-sugar immediately after baking. They’re elegant, delicious, and require zero artistic ability.

Final Thoughts on These Vegan Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

After making these cookies more times than I can count, tweaking every possible variable, and serving them to everyone from skeptical relatives to food blogger friends, I can confidently say these are the vegan Thanksgiving sugar cookies to make this holiday season.

They’ve become my contribution to every Thanksgiving gathering, and last year, my aunt (who’s been making the same sugar cookie recipe for 40 years) asked me for this recipe. That felt like winning a baking championship.

So here’s my challenge to you: Make these cookies. Decorate them with your kids, your friends, or just by yourself with a good podcast playing in the background. Share them with someone who thinks vegan baking is all about sacrifice and compromise. Watch their face when they taste how buttery and perfect these are.

And then come back and tell me how it went! Did you use turkey cutters or maple leaf shapes? What flavor combinations did you try? Did anyone guess they were vegan? Drop a comment below—I read every single one, and I love hearing about your baking adventures.