Vegan Shortbread Cookies
These Vegan Shortbread Cookies are buttery, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth soft, with little bursts of dried cranberry and bright orange zest tucked into a simple classic cookie dough.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or sturdy spoon
- Rolling Pin
- 2-inch cookie cutter
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Zester
- Knife
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup vegan butter room temperature, use vegan butter sticks rather than tub-style spread
- 1/4 cup vegan powdered sugar plus extra for rolling
- 3 Tbsp dried cranberries finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp water for slightly rehydrating the cranberries
- 1/2 orange zested
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Finely chop the dried cranberries, then stir them with 1/2 teaspoon water. Let them sit for at least a few minutes to soften slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the room-temperature vegan butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add the salt and mix until evenly combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until all of the flour has been added.
- Add the softened cranberries and orange zest in small increments, mixing between additions so they distribute evenly through the dough.
- Use your hands toward the end to bring the dough together into a smooth ball.
- Lightly dust a flat surface with powdered sugar. Place the dough on top, then sprinkle a little more powdered sugar over the dough and rolling pin.
- Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Dip a roughly 2-inch cookie cutter in powdered sugar and cut out circles. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Gather the leftover dough, form it into a ball again, and roll it out. Continue cutting cookies until as much dough as possible is used.
- Chill the cut cookies for 30 to 60 minutes in the freezer, or refrigerate them overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 16 to 19 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool before serving so the shortbread can set into its tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Notes
Use vegan butter sticks, not tub-style spread, for the best shortbread texture.
Let the vegan butter come to room temperature on the counter. Avoid microwaving it, because overheated butter can make the dough too soft and cause the cookies to spread.
Powdered sugar works well for rolling because it keeps the dough from sticking without adding extra flour that could make the cookies dense.
Chilling the cut cookies helps them hold their shape and keeps the texture more delicate.
The cookies are ready when the bottoms are golden, even if the tops still look pale.
Nutrition
Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg