Soft & Buttery Vegan Shortbread Snowflake Cookies

I’m always thinking about new cookie recipes. I just can’t help it! I have cookie crumbs running through my mind at all hours of the day.

These vegan shortbread cookies are going to be a new favorite for you! They are made with vegan butter that keeps these cookies sugar buttery and crumbly, yet they’re moist and have a slightly toasty cozy flavor.

The royal icing and sprinkled powdered sugar adds the perfect sweet touch. Plus you can get creative with the shapes and icing colors!

If you love baking, you have to check out my roundup for 50+ Gluten Free Dessert Recipes! I’m always looking for fun Christmas cookies to make this time of year and if you are too, try these Hot Cocoa Cookies, Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, and these Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies!

Why You’ll Love Vegan Shortbread Cookies

• They are soft baked
• These cookies have a slightly oaty, toasted flavor
• They are crumbly yet moist
• Fun to decorate!
• They’re gluten free, dairy free, and vegan
• Perfect for any cookie plate

Ingredients for Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Vegan Butter. I love the creaminess and butteriness vegan butter gives to these shortbread cookies, but if you prefer, you can use refined coconut oil instead. Or, if you’re not interested in making these vegan, regular unsalted butter also works.

Coconut Sugar. For some sweetness! I always have coconut sugar on hand but you can sub in any granular sweetener. Coconut sugar does give these cookies more of a caramel color whereas a white sugar would result in a lighter cookie.

Agave Nectar. For a touch of sweetness! Honey or maple syrup is also a great substitute!

Almond Flour. This is going to be the base of these cookies! I love using blanched almond flour because it’s super fine and has a beautiful pastry color perfect for light shortbread cookies.

Oat Flour. I love using a bit of oat flour because it really holds these cookies together and makes the dough easier to work with. It adds a slightly toasty oat flour that isn’t overwhelming but rather just a slight depth to the flavor profile making them taste extra cozy.

Salt. Just a touch to bring out all the flavors.

How to make homemade oat flour

It’s so easy! All you need to do it put your old fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or blender and blend for about 1 minute until completely chopped up. I like to do this is small batches to make sure they all get chopped evenly.

How to Make Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Make the cookies:

Use an electric mixture to cream together the butter, coconut sugar, and agave.

Add the almond flour, oat flour and salt. Mix together until combined.

Place the cookie dough in between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it flat until about 1/8 inch thick.

Place the rolled out cookie dough on top of a cutting board or baking sheet. You want it to be on a flat surface. Put it in the freezer for 45 minutes – 1 hour.

Remove the top layer of parchment paper and use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes.

If you need help transferring the cut cookie dough onto the baking sheet, slide a butter knife under the shapes to transfer the cut out dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Once the cookies are transferred, bake for 10 minutes.

Place the leftover dough in between the parchment papers again and roll it out. Store it again on a flat surface (cutting board or baking sheet) in the freezer until you’re ready to cut your second batch of cookies.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to sit on the pan for 10 minutes.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.

Make the vegan royal icing:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, agave nectar, dairy free milk, and vanilla.

Transfer the icing into a small plastic baggie or piping bag.

When you’re ready to apply the icing, cut a small corner off one end of the baggie. Then, squeeze the frosting out of the cut tip to decorate the cookies as desired.