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    Home » Cookies

    Small Batch Vegan Shortbread Cookies

    Published: Oct 13, 2016 Updated: Nov 1, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Shortbread Cookies

    Perfectly crunchy vegan shortbread cookies. This small batch recipe contains just 4-ingredients and makes 8-9 shortbread cookies. Easy and insanely good! 

    Vegan shortbread cookies stacked up on a white plate.

    We have a brand of shortbread cookie in South Africa called ‘Eat Sum More’. Cool name right? Not vegan though, sadly.

    I knew I had to nail down a good recipe for vegan shortbread cookies because shortbread is the base ingredient of all sorts of other cool desserts that I absolutely want to make. Like vegan twix bars (update: this is now made!) and millionaire shortbread. Yum yum yum!

    And this folks – is it. This small batch recipe for vegan shortbread cookies is the bomb diggity.

    I love that it’s a small batch too because recipes that make like 3 dozen cookies are just not for me.

    Considering the fact that it’s just me and Jaye and our cat babies (who funnily enough don’t like cookies), it would be a bit crazy to go making huge batches of things. Or not crazy at all, it depends on the day.

    Vegan shortbread cookies in a stack on a white plate.

    I even got adorable heart shaped cookie cutters for the job.

    On the day of baking these our air conditioner died and since it was hot as heck, this was quite a big deal.

    As I was working with this cookie dough, the vegan butter that forms quite a large part of this recipe was melting inside the dough and making it really hard to keep the nice little heart shapes I was going for!

    So if my heart shaped cookies look a little rough around the edges – this is why! It was about 100 degrees (or more) in my kitchen.

    Nonetheless the end result was awesome. This recipe is super simple, being just 4 ingredients.

    Vegan shortbread cookies stacked up on a white plate.

    How To Make Vegan Shortbread Cookies

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    You simply add flour, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl, and then add in the vegan butter and rub it in with your fingers. Form it into a ball, flatten it out or roll it out on a flour dusted surface and cut out the cookies, and then bake. 

    The result? The crunchiest, most satisfying vegan shortbread cookies. Just about 8 or 9 of them.

    Cookie dough for shortbread cookies in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
    Vegan shortbread cookies on a parchment lined tray ready to go into the oven.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep your cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a week. They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. 

    A vegan shortbread cookie with a plate of cookies in the background.

    More Vegan Cookies

    1. Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
    2. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
    3. Vegan Chocolate Cookies
    4. Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
    5. Vegan Lemon Cookies
    6. Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
    Vegan shortbread cookies stacked up on a white plate.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Vegan shortbread cookies stacked up on a white plate.

    Small Batch Vegan Shortbread Cookies

    Perfectly crunchy vegan shortbread cookies. This small batch recipe contains just 4-ingredients and makes 8-9 shortbread cookies. Super easy and insanely good!
    4.73 from 76 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Baking, Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 124kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup All Purpose Flour (125g)
    • ¼ cup White Granulated Sugar (50g) plus more for rolling
    • ¼ tsp Salt
    • ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C).
    • Sift the flour and add it to a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt and mix together.
    • Then add the vegan butter, rubbing it in with your fingers. It will first be crumbly and then gradually will form into cookie dough.
    • Form the cookie dough into a ball and then flatten it out on a flour dusted surface and cut out some cookies. You can either use a rolling pin or your hands to flatten it out to around ½ inch thick. The dough is quite fragile, so if you use a rolling pin, you can roll and sort of press at the same time. Dust the top of the dough with flour so that the rolling pin doesn’t stick. Roll the cookies in more granulated sugar and place onto a parchment lined baking tray.
    • Roll the remaining dough into a ball again and flatten out again, cutting out more cookies and then repeat.
    • At the end you’ll cut out your final cookie, and whatever’s left won’t be enough for a last cookie, so just roll into a small ball, roll it in sugar and add it to the baking tray as a bonus cookie.
    • You should have around 8-9 cookies.
    • Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes* until lightly golden on top.
    • Remove from the oven and allow them to cool and firm up directly on the tray before moving them.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Baking times: We have baked these cookies for up to 45 minutes for a wonderfully crunchy shortbread. But in some ovens this will be too long and they will burn. Also, if you have more than 8-9 cookies then your cookies will be thinner and may need an even shorter baking time. So keep an eye on them. But feel free to also bake them longer than the 25-30 minutes, while keeping a beady eye on them, if you like your shortbread super crunchy.
    2. Storing and Freezing: Keep your cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a week. They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months.
    3. Recipe adapted from Epicurious.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.2g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Sodium: 146mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 5.5g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenni Helm says

      July 08, 2022 at 7:04 pm

      Not sure if it was the wrong kind of vegan butter (I used Earth Balance sticks) – but the cookies were very bland and the dough just didn’t want to stay together. I hate to leave a low score 🙁 Maybe they just aren’t meant to be eaten solo?2 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 09, 2022 at 11:37 am

        Hi Jenni, it sounds like too much flour may have been the problem. We recommend either weighing it out on a food scale or using the ‘spoon and level’ method. Never scoop the four or pack it into the cup.

        Reply
    2. Sam says

      February 27, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      I’ve made these cookies a couple dozen times now for my table top rpg group–super simple to make and my vegan friends love them! I tend to eye out an amount of cinnamon to add, as I find it makes them taste even better. Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 28, 2022 at 9:10 am

        Awesome Sam! Cinnamon is a great addition too. Thanks for the great review!

        Reply
    3. Prizz says

      February 21, 2022 at 9:44 am

      So easy and so good!!!5 stars

      Reply
    4. Jessica says

      February 11, 2022 at 8:03 pm

      These are SO DELICIOUS. I have made them tons of times and they are always amazing. I have even used this recipe as dough for hand pies and they are amazing. I sub coconut sugar in for the cane sugar. And I have subbed oat flour in for the wheat flour and they are slightly more crispy and soooo good!! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 17, 2022 at 12:55 pm

        So glad to hear that Jessica! Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Audrey says

      December 24, 2021 at 2:53 am

      I triple the recipe and eat these pretty much all in one day!! They are perfect every time. Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 24, 2021 at 10:42 am

        Brilliant! Thanks for the great review Audrey!

        Reply
    6. Debbie Barbour says

      July 11, 2021 at 3:27 pm

      Have made these shortbreads a dozen times now and they always come out perfect – short and crunchy. Great on their own with a nice cuppa or with sorbet or nice cream and fruit for a delicious dessert. Fabulous recipe, five stars!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 11, 2021 at 4:41 pm

        Thanks so much Debbie!

        Reply
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