If you’re looking for a cookie that’s bursting with fresh, fruity goodness and totally vegan, you’re going to adore this Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe. These cookies are soft, tender, and have this lovely natural strawberry flavor that just pops. I absolutely love how they come out—perfectly pink, slightly chewy, and sweet enough to satisfy your cookie cravings without feeling heavy. Stick around, and I’ll walk you through everything so you get them spot-on every time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally Fruity Flavor: The strawberry puree gives these cookies that gorgeous, fresh berry taste that’s hard to beat.
- Perfectly Soft Texture: They come out soft in the middle with lightly crisp edges—just like a classic sugar cookie, but vegan!
- Simple Ingredients: No crazy substitutes here — just everyday pantry items plus strawberries.
- Beautiful Pink Color: The natural pink hue from the strawberries (with a little food coloring boost!) makes these cookies perfect for spring or special occasions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients for this vegan strawberry sugar cookies recipe come together nicely to give you a cookie that’s both flavorful and tender. Using fresh or frozen strawberries works well, and a good-quality vegan butter really makes a difference in texture and taste.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen, they’re the star, providing natural sweetness and that signature pink color. Don’t skimp here!
- Granulated Sugar: Balances the tartness of the berries while helping your cookies crisp up at the edges.
- Vegan Butter: Room temperature is key for easy mixing and smooth dough texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Totally optional but adds a lovely warm note that complements the strawberries.
- Pink or Red Food Coloring: To amplify that strawberry pink hue—don’t worry, a little goes a long way!
- All-Purpose Flour: The base to hold everything together; weighing it helps get the perfect cookie texture.
- Baking Soda: Gives the cookies a nice lift without puffing them up too much.
- Salt: Just a pinch if you’re using unsalted butter, it enhances all the flavors.
- Extra Granulated Sugar for Coating (Optional): I love this for a little extra crunch and sparkle on the outside.
Variations
I love giving this Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe little twists here and there depending on the season or what I have on hand. Feel free to play around—you’ll find that customizing it is part of the fun!
- Add Citrus Zest: A sprinkle of lemon or orange zest brightens up the cookies and complements that strawberry flavor beautifully—my family can’t get enough!
- Use Beetroot Powder: For a natural pink color boost without artificial dyes, but keep in mind it might dull the strawberry taste a bit.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour—I’ve tried King Arthur’s measure-for-measure, and it works like a charm, giving soft, delicious cookies.
- Chewier Cookies: Slightly reduce the flour (to around 2 cups) for a stickier dough and chewier texture—just watch out to avoid underbaking.
How to Make Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Creating the Strawberry Reduction
Start by blending or pureeing your strawberries—this gives you that smooth, rich strawberry base your cookies absolutely need. I like to use a stick blender right in the bowl to keep cleanup easy. Pour this puree into a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to the consistency of tomato paste (about 15-30 minutes). The key here is patience—you want this thick enough to provide a concentrated strawberry flavor but not dry. Once it’s done, let it cool completely before adding it to the dough.
Step 2: Mixing the Cookie Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper—this prevents sticking and helps cookies bake evenly. Cream together your room-temperature vegan butter and sugar until nice and fluffy. Then, mix in your cooled strawberry puree, a splash of vanilla, and your chosen food coloring. The dough at this point will look beautifully pink and smell heavenly. Add your flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing just until combined—overmixing can make your cookies tough. You’ll notice the dough is soft and tacky, which is perfect. If it feels too sticky to work with, just pop it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
Step 3: Shaping and Sugar-Coating Cookies
Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to portion about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie—this makes roughly 20 cookies, which is a perfect batch for sharing. For that classic sugar cookie sparkle, roll each dough ball in extra granulated sugar before placing them onto the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart since they’ll spread a bit. If you prefer thinner, chewier cookies, gently flatten each ball before baking.
Step 4: Baking the Strawberry Sugar Cookies
Bake in your preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes, keeping a close eye on the edges—they should just start to firm up and turn slightly golden. It’s tempting to overbake, but you want to pull them out while they’re still soft in the center for that perfect tender bite. Let them cool on the sheet for about 10 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a wire rack. I usually sneak a warm one before they’re fully cooled—they’re straight-up irresistible!
Pro Tips for Making Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Puree Thickness Matters: Make sure your strawberry reduction is thick like tomato paste—too runny and your dough won’t hold.
- Color Intensity: I learned adding a little more pink or red food coloring than you think is needed helps the cookies keep that lovely hue after baking.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix just until combined to keep your cookies soft and tender, overworking flour can make them tough.
- Check Cookie Spread: If your cookies don’t spread enough, gently flatten them right after baking for a perfect shape and chewiness.
How to Serve Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
My favorite way to garnish these cookies is with a gentle dusting of powdered sugar for a delicate, frosted look, especially for special occasions like Mother’s Day or Valentine’s. Sometimes, I’ll also add a tiny edible flower on top as a cute touch if I’m serving them for a party.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with a hot cup of herbal tea—hibiscus or chamomile works great—or a chilled glass of almond milk for an indulgent but dairy-free combo. For brunch, try serving them alongside fresh fruit salad for a refreshing contrast.
Creative Ways to Present
For birthdays or baby showers, arrange the cookies on a tiered dessert tray with fresh strawberries and mint leaves scattered around. I’ve also tried sandwiching two cookies with a layer of vegan cream cheese frosting for a decadent strawberry cookie sandwich—my guests loved that twist!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they keep nicely for up to 5 days. To keep them from getting too soft or sticky, I sometimes add a slice of bread to the container—this trick really helps maintain the perfect texture!
Freezing
I love freezing cookie dough balls ahead of time—just flash freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. When you want cookies, bake straight from frozen (add a couple extra minutes to baking time) and you’ll still get fresh-baked goodness any day.
Reheating
If you have leftovers, I usually warm them up in a toaster oven for 3-5 minutes. This refreshes their softness and boosts the strawberry aroma. Just avoid microwaving—they can get rubbery.
FAQs
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Can I use frozen strawberries for this Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe?
Absolutely! Frozen strawberries work just as well as fresh ones. Just make sure to thaw them completely and drain any excess water before pureeing. This prevents your dough from becoming too runny.
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How do I make these cookies gluten-free?
You can swap out the all-purpose flour for a one-to-one gluten-free baking flour blend like King Arthur’s measure-for-measure. The dough might be a bit softer but it bakes up wonderfully with the same delicious flavor.
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What if my cookies don’t spread in the oven?
If your cookies don’t spread as expected, don’t worry! I found that gently flattening the cookies right after they come out of the oven, using the bottom of a glass or a fork, helps create a lovely thin texture and encourages that chewy bite.
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Can I omit the food coloring?
Yes, you can skip the food coloring if you prefer a more natural look, but the cookies will be paler. The color mainly enhances the visual appeal and fades a little during baking, so I usually add a little just for fun.
Final Thoughts
This Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe has become a favorite staple in my kitchen, especially when I want something that feels homemade but still special and festive. The balance of fresh strawberry flavor with that soft, sugary cookie texture is just right every time. Trust me, once you make these, you’ll want to keep them around for birthdays, tea times, or whenever you need a bright, happy treat. Give it a try—you won’t regret it!
Print
Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 44 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Delightfully soft and chewy strawberry sugar cookies made vegan, featuring a natural strawberry reduction that adds vibrant color and flavor. These cookies are perfect for a sweet treat with a beautiful pink hue and a subtle fruity twist.
Ingredients
Strawberry Cookies
- 3 cups (360g) strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (150g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/4-1 teaspoon pink food coloring or red food coloring, as needed
- 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
Sugar Coating (optional)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Reduction: Optionally blend or puree the strawberries with a stick blender or food processor until you have about 1 1/2 cups of strawberry puree. If not blending, use whole strawberries with a small dash of water. Add the mixture to a large pot or saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally or constantly on high heat, and cook for 15-30 minutes until the puree is thick like tomato paste and weighs 120g (heaped 1/3 cup). Allow to cool.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and vegan butter until well combined. Mix in the cooled strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and food coloring until fully incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined. The dough should be soft and tacky but not overly sticky. If it feels too sticky, refrigerate the dough for 10-20 minutes.
- Shape the Cookies: Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into about 20 balls (approximately 2 tablespoons or 38g each). Roll each ball in the optional granulated sugar to coat.
- Arrange and Flatten (Optional): Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. For thinner, chewier cookies, gently flatten each dough ball before baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges look cooked. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store and Serve: Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, refrigerate up to 10 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Weighing strawberries and flour ensures accurate measurements and better cookie texture.
- Adjust food coloring quantity for desired pink intensity as color fades during baking; pink is preferred over red for a subtle hue.
- To make chewier cookies with more strawberry flavor, reduce flour to 2 cups (250g) and flatten dough before baking; no chilling needed unless dough is very sticky.
- For a gluten-free version, use King Arthur’s measure-for-measure flour for a slightly softer dough that bakes well.
- If cookies don’t spread adequately in the oven, flatten them with a fork or glass bottom immediately after baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
