The turkey’s been eaten. The leftovers are officially gone. You know what that means?
👉 It’s cookie season, baby.
Christmas cookies aren’t optional. They’re tradition. They’re DIY gifts. They’re the little bites of joy you sneak while decorating the tree, watching cheesy holiday movies, or singing carols off-key with a glass of mulled wine in hand.
And if you’re vegan (or baking for someone who is)? Don’t panic. I’ve rounded up 14 vegan Christmas cookie recipes so good, Santa won’t know the difference. From gingerbread classics to chocolate overloads to delicate shortbreads, you’ll find your cookie in this list.
Why I love Christmas cookies (and you should too)
- Instant holiday cheer – Nothing makes your house smell cozier.
- The easiest gift ever – Box ‘em up, tie a bow, and done.
- Freezer-friendly – Bake ahead, stash away, and pull out when needed.
- Crowd-pleasers – Nobody’s ever mad about cookies.
My tradition? The weekend after Thanksgiving, I crank up the Christmas playlist, dust the counters in flour, and bake batch after batch. Half goes straight in the freezer. The other half mysteriously disappears before December 1st.
🍫 Chocolate Christmas Cookies
If it’s not chocolate, is it even Christmas?
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (fan-favorite)
- Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies
- Salted Chocolate Rosemary Cookies
- Chocolate Mint Wafer Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies (so cute!)
- Candy Cane Crunch Cookies
🍪 Spiced Holiday Cookies
Warm, cozy, festive—basically edible Christmas hugs.
- Classic Gingerbread People
- Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles
- Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies
- Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies
- Almond Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Nutcracker Cookies
🥥 Shortbread & Sugar Cookies
Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, perfect for decorating.
- Vegan Sugar Cookies (cut-out style)
- Hazelnut Sandies (aka Snowball Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes—so many names, all delicious)
- Fluffy Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Almond Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan Danish Butter Cookies
- Amaretto Snowballs
- Pecan Pie Shortbread Cookies
🎁 Thumbprints & Fancy Cookies
When you want your cookies to dress up for the holidays.
- Eggnog Cheesecake Thumbprints (yep, eggnog but vegan)
- Pecan Pie Cookies
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies
- Coconut Raspberry Thumbprints
- Chocolate Biscoff Pinwheels
🍫 Bars, Biscotti & Bark
Not “cookies” but let’s be honest—they belong on the tray.
- Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
- Carmelita Bars
- Old-Fashioned Peanut Brittle
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Truffles
- Vegan Peppermint Patties
- Sprinkle Cookie Dough Bites
Got it ✅ I’ll give you 10 more vegan Christmas cookie recipes written in the same cozy, chatty, influencer style you like — short, fun storytelling intros, simple ingredient lists, and quick directions. Perfect for dropping into your roundup.
Vegan Pistachio Cranberry Cookies
Festive colours in one bite — green pistachios + red cranberries = instant Christmas vibes.
What you need
- 1 cup vegan butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pistachios
How to make
Cream butter + sugar. Add vanilla + flour. Fold in pistachios + cranberries. Scoop onto tray, bake 12 mins at 350°F. Cool, then devour.
Vegan Linzer Cookies
Pretty little sandwich cookies with jam peeking out the window. They look like you spent hours. (You didn’t.)
What you need
- 1 cup vegan butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- Raspberry jam for filling
How to make
Mix dough. Chill. Cut into rounds, cut “windows” in half. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 mins. Cool, spread jam, sandwich together, dust with sugar.
Vegan Almond Crescent Cookies
Delicate, nutty, shaped like little moons. Santa-approved.
What you need
- 1 cup vegan butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup ground almonds
How to make
Mix dough. Shape into crescents. Bake at 350°F for 12–15 mins. Dust with powdered sugar while warm.
Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Crinkly, fudgy, minty. Basically Christmas in cookie form.
What you need
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup oil
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- Powdered sugar for rolling
How to make
Mix everything into a sticky dough. Chill 1 hr. Roll into balls, coat in powdered sugar. Bake at 350°F, 10–12 mins until crackly.
Vegan Gingerbread Biscotti
Twice-baked and perfect for dunking in coffee (or mulled wine).
What you need
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup oil
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tbsp plant milk
How to make
Mix dough, form into logs, bake 25 mins at 350°F. Cool slightly, slice into biscotti, bake again 10–15 mins until crisp.
Vegan Shortbread Stars
Three ingredients. Buttery. Melts in your mouth.
What you need
- 1 cup vegan butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups flour
How to make
Mix dough, chill, cut into star shapes. Bake at 325°F for 12–15 mins. Sprinkle with sugar. Done.
Vegan Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Festive red colour with a dusting of powdered sugar “snow.”
What you need
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup oil
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tbsp red food colouring (vegan)
- Powdered sugar for rolling
How to make
Mix, chill 30 mins, roll into balls, coat in sugar. Bake 10–12 mins at 350°F.
Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Chewy, golden, snowy little bites.
What you need
- 3 cups shredded coconut
- 1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
How to make
Mix everything, scoop onto baking sheet. Bake 20–25 mins at 325°F until golden. Drizzle with chocolate if you want.
Vegan Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Chewy, hearty, festive with cranberries and a hint of cinnamon.
What you need
- 1 cup vegan butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ tsp cinnamon
How to make
Cream butter + sugar. Add dry ingredients + cranberries. Scoop, bake 10–12 mins at 350°F.
Vegan Jam Thumbprints
Simple, cute, and the perfect little festive bite.
What you need
- 1 cup vegan butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup jam (raspberry or apricot = 👌)
How to make
Mix dough, roll into balls, press a thumbprint into each. Fill with jam. Bake 12 mins at 350°F.
What you’ll need in your kitchen
If you don’t have a stand mixer, I can’t recommend one enough. Mine has been going strong for 15 years, and it makes cookie baking so much easier. But really, all you need are baking sheets, silicone mats, and a wire rack to turn your kitchen into Santa’s workshop.
Action steps 🎅
- Pick 2–3 recipes from this list and bake ahead this weekend. Freeze them, and you’ll be Christmas-ready in minutes.
- Gift them: Grab cute holiday boxes, line with parchment, and boom—homemade gifts sorted.
- Share them: Post your cookie trays on Instagram, tag @mydarlingvegan, and let’s drool together.
✨ Cookies are more than dessert. They’re tradition, nostalgia, and joy—baked right in. ✨
👉 So, tell me: which cookie are you starting with first?
