Buttery, rich and perfectly crumbly, these Easy Vegan Shortbread are a classic Christmas cookie that melt in your mouth.

Classic shortbread is easy to make vegan by simply using a plant-based butter and vegan icing sugar. Shortbread relies on the fattiness of unsalted butter, along with powdered (not granulated!) sugar for a smooth but crumbly texture.

I use PC Plant Based Butter Alternative Unsalted but any vegan butter should do! Earth Island is another popular choice. I suggest using brick or stick plant-based butter rather than the spreadable version to get a more authentic shortbread.

For a vegan powdered sugar I use Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Icing Sugar. The entire line of Wholesome sugars are vegan, and they offer plenty of variety of sweeteners. Definitely a vegan pantry staple in our house!

Ingredients in This Recipe

All purpose flour
Powdered sugar (such as Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Icing Sugar)
Vegan butter softened (such as PC Plant Based Butter Alternative Unsalted or Earth Island)
Pure vanilla extract

How to Make Easy Vegan Shortbread

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheight. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stir the flour and powdered sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer on low-medium speed until blended well. (Your dough will look crumbly and soft, but will come together when pressed with your hands).

Place a sheet of parchment paper on your countertop and sprinkle with a little flour. Form your dough into a ball and place in the centre of the parchment paper.

Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Roll the dough to about 1/3-1/2 of an inch thick.

Cut into desired shapes and place on the prepared baking sheets. If your dough gets hard to work with (particularly if you are using intricate cookie stamp/cookie cutters) then place it wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge to chill it.

Continue re-rolling the dough and cutting it into shapes until it is all used. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the bottom is just slightly golden.
Allow shortbread to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for 5-6 days.

Common Questions

Should I use vegan butter spread or butter sticks/brick butter?

I suggest using brick vegan butter or butter sticks, rather than a soft spreadable vegan butter. I haven’t tested this recipe with a spreadable butter and it may affect the texture.

Is all icing sugar vegan?

No. You want an icing sugar that was not refined with bone char in the process. Any certified organic sugar has not been filtered with bone char. There are also several brands of icing sugar that are certified vegan such as Wholesome Ogranics and 365 Everyday Value.

How should I store these shortbread cookies?

These shortbread cookies can be stored in a dry airtight container for a week, or in the refrigerator for 10 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months and allow them to come back to room temperature before serving.