Perfectly crunchy vegan shortbread cookies. This small batch recipe contains just 4-ingredients and makes 8-9 shortbread cookies. Easy and insanely good!
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.
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.
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.
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.
More Vegan Cookies
- Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Lemon Cookies
- Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Small Batch Vegan Shortbread Cookies
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)
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Recipe adapted from Epicurious.
Halle says
Earth Balance vegan butter is available inboth spreadable and hard where I live. Which one should I use?
Also both have salt in them. Should I leave out the salt in the recipe?
Alison Andrews says
I have only ever used the spreadable variety, so I would go with that one. 🙂 And no all the vegan butters I’ve used have also had salt added, so I wouldn’t leave it out.
Roseann Stewart says
I used a vegan butter with salt and used the salt suggested in the recipe and they came out fine, I didn’t taste an excess of salt.
Rosie Leggett says
Mmm, delicious! Used coconut oil instead of margarine and it worked really well.
Alison Andrews says
Excellent! Glad to hear that! Thanks for posting Rosie! 🙂
Suzy says
Thank you Alison
I really loved these cookies. I added lavandar flowers to the dough and topped with chocolate (vegan). They were well received by my guests. very easy and very tasty.
Suzy
Alison Andrews says
Wonderful Suzy! Thanks for posting! 🙂
Hannah says
Made these tonight and they were delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe. I added a wee bit of vanilla and lemon extract to the cookie and made a mixed berry compote to go in the middle of the cookie. They are so addicting! I’m staring at them now, lol. If anyone is debating on making them, please do. They’re buttery, rich, and have the perfect amount of sweetness. I can’t wait to make them again, but next time, it will be for my co-workers.
Alison Andrews says
Oooh sounds so delicious! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Anna Andrews says
Awesome and easy recipe
Caitlin McConachie says
I was just wondering what the difference would be if I used powdered sugar instead of granulated?
Thanks! I cant wait to try it
Alison Andrews says
I haven’t tried that, but it might be great! Let us know how it works out if you try it! 🙂
Maya says
Hi! Should the butter be at room temperature like many traditional shortbread recipes? Thanks so much 🙂
Alison Andrews says
Sure, this will be helpful. Since you are rubbing it in with your fingers though, even if it isn’t, it will just make the process a bit slower. But definitely if the butter is a bit softer, it will speed things up a bit!
Laura says
Delicious cookies! I used Earth Balance vegan butter and they came out great. I questioned the baking time, but you were right, 45 minutes on the button! I didn’t have the right shape cookie cutter, so I rolled the dough into a chunky log, then cut off 1.5-2″ chunks, then pressed them with my hand, then cut into quarters and they look very nice. Thank you for yet another fabulous recipe! Your site is fantastic.
Alison Andrews says
Thanks so much Laura! So glad they worked out great! Thanks for posting. 🙂
Pauline says
I was looking for a small sweet treat to go along with my homemade yogurt. I had nothing to measure the butter (student life…) so I used 7 tablespoons. I rolled the dough, cut the forms and then, the epiphany, why not use jam?! This recipe works like a charm as thumbprint cookies! Pear, lemon, raspberry I CAN’T STOP! Thank you !
Alison Andrews says
Hahaha, this is awesome news Pauline as I have been thinking of doing some vegan thumbprint cookies! Thanks for sharing your success with it! 🙂
Lauren says
How long do they keep for? Thinking of making them to put in a hamper for a birthday present!
Alison Andrews says
About a week in an airtight container. 🙂
Malva says
I made these and they are absolutely amazing.
Mind blowing how yummy they are.
I made 12 cookies from these proportion but mine were thinner.
Alison Andrews says
Ooooh that’s wonderful Malva! So happy to hear! Thanks for posting! 🙂
Malva says
They were gone before the night fell. So here I am making a double batch now. My three little monsters (kids) loved them.
Thanks so much
Alison Andrews says
You’re so welcome! So glad they were such a hit! 🙂
Maeron says
I’m really excited to try this recipe! I have a question though.. I want to try making some checkerboard shortbread cookies for the holidays. Would you recommend adding some cocoa powder or melted chocolate into the dough? Thanks!
Alison Andrews says
I have never tried this, I think either one could work though! Let us know if you do try it and how it works out! That would be awesome to know! 🙂
Tara Boland says
Hi!! Do you think this would work with gluten free all purpose flour? 🙂
Alison Andrews says
I haven’t tried it with gluten-free flour, but an all purpose blend should work in theory! Let us know how it turns out if you do try it! 🙂
Lynn says
Hi,
I thought that I would respond to this question. Thinking I had regular flour in my pantry only to find gluten free flour I decided to go ahead with the recipe. I am pleased to say that these turned out wonderful and would highly recommend these to anyone wanting to try gluten free.
Thanks again for a fantastic recipe.
Alison Andrews says
Oh excellent! That’s wonderful news! Thanks so much Lynn! 🙂
Kayla says
So happy I discovered this recipe. They were delicious and easy to make!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Kayla! 🙂
Manasi says
HI Alison, my shortbreads expanded in the oven and became flatter and flatter. Taste was ok but very buttery. May be need to use less fat?
Thanks
Alison Andrews says
I’m not sure why that would happen unless perhaps your oven was a bit on the hot side? Otherwise not sure! You could try using less butter but then you’d need to add in something else to compensate and I don’t know how that would work out.