Chai Vegan Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Glaze

Vegan sugar cookies! Chai sugar cookie with an eggnog glaze. If you’re looking for the the best vegan sugar cookie recipe, this is it. The chai spices are make it the perfect holiday cookie.

this Recipe

Thanksgiving may be next week– and you may still be knee-deep in trying to figure out your menu (PS- I’ve got 50+ vegan Thanksgiving recipes here) but may I suggest switching gears to Christmas cookies?

My fellow baking fans, get ready. These chai vegan sugar cookies are the first in a line of holiday cookies that I’ve got coming your way over the next few weeks. Yes, I’m still a dietitian, but as I like to say frequently– healthy diets include dessert. And these sugar cookies? Well, they should definitely be included in your holiday plans.

Chewy, spiced chai sugar cookies that are fantastic on their own, but are pure WOW factor when dipped into an eggnog glaze. These vegan sugar cookies are a must in Christmas cookie boxes, cookie exchanges or even just a Wednesday night when you’ve got a hankering for ‘what Christmas should taste like.’

Vegan Sugar Cookie Ingredients

These chai cookies are essentially a classic sugar cookie that we’ve added chai spices to. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

• Chai Spices: ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and a pinch of black pepper
• Dairy-free butter
• Cane sugar & powdered sugar
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Vanilla
• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder & baking soda
• Salt
• Non-dairy milk

Ingredient notes & substitution recommendations:

For the very best cookies, make sure your spices are potent– especially the ginger for a nice chai bite. This is likely more important if you don’t use ground ginger that often and it’s been sitting in your cupboard for years.

If you don’t have all of these spices, then I recommend heading to your nearest co-op or even Whole Foods (some have this option, not all) and the bulk spice bin area. This lets you grab just a teaspoon or two without having to commit to the entire recipe.

I highly, highly recommend all of these spices to make them really taste like a chai cookie BUT I also know that not everyone has access or wants to purchase all of the spices new. In that case, you can use just the ginger and cinnamon. It won’t taste like chai, but it will have a nice spiced bite.

Even though I eat eggs, I like experimenting with vegan baking recipes. The cornstarch and the applesauce were used here as an egg replacer– you need both to help with binding and moisture.

The powdered sugar plays very well with the spice profile of this chai sugar cookie; I don’t recommend trying to swap it out with other sugars but if you must, then I’d recommend more cane sugar or brown sugar as a last resort.

(This may be the point in the recipe where I put on my dietitian hat and kindly say that regardless of what’s being said on TikTok from shirtless men in grocery stores, sugar is sugar. Of course the amount matters in the context of an overall diet, but you can enjoy a regular cookie made with regular sugar too.)

How to make Chai Vegan Sugar Cookies

Can I use this Vegan Sugar Cookie Recipe as a Cut Out Cookie?

Yes! Just like regular sugar cookies, this recipe can be made as a cut out cookie with cookie cutters. To do that, place the dough in the fridge/freezer to harden slightly. This will make it easier to roll.

When ready to roll, gently roll the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, or between two pieces of parchment paper. For a chewier cookie, roll to about 1/2 inch thickness; for a thinner cookie, roll to about 1/4 inch thick.

Using lightly floured cookie cutters, cut the dough into preferred shapes, then bake as directed. If you are cutting the dough into large shapes, then you may need to add a minute or two to the bake time. Let cool slightly on the baking tray then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling completely before adding the glaze or frosting as desired.

Storing Instructions

These cookies will store at room temperature for 3-4 days. Like most cookies, they will still have a great flavor but the texture will change and be more crumbly the longer they sit.

You can also freeze the cookies! This is especially important if you like to make a big batch of cookies to give as cookie boxes like I do for gifts (especially when paired with my bourbon balls, molasses gingerbread cookies and vegan chocolate peppermint cookies). You can freeze the dough to bake from frozen OR make the cookies, then freeze. Either works, as long as they aren’t glazed first.

More Vegan Christmas Cookies:

• Vegan Molasses Cookies
• Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Cranberry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

If you try these vegan sugar cookie recipe, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!

Chai Vegan Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Glaze

• Author: Alex
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 37 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: cookie, christmas cookie, holiday cookies, sugar cookies
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Description

Vegan sugar cookies! Chai sugar cookie with an eggnog glaze. If you’re looking for the the best vegan sugar cookie recipe, this is it. The chai spices are make it the perfect holiday cookie.

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Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

• Author: Alex
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 37 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: cookie, christmas cookie, holiday cookies, sugar cookies
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

• Author: Alex
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 37 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: cookie, christmas cookie, holiday cookies, sugar cookies
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

Chai Spice: 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons each ground ginger and ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch cracked black pepper

Vegan Sugar Cookies:

• 1/2 cup vegan butter of choice*
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 3/4 all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk
• Cinnamon sugar, for rolling

For glaze: 

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk**

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Combine all of the chai spices in a small bowl and set aside. 
3. Add the butter to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Alternatively, add the butter to a large bowl with a hand mixer. Place the sugars into the bowl and cream into the butter. 
4. Add in the applesauce and vanilla, then mix to combine. 
5. Mix in the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, baking power, baking soda, salt and chai spices. 
6. Add in the non-dairy milk; the batter should feel like play dough. Place the batter in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for ~30-45 minutes, or even overnight. This will make it easier to roll and scoop. 
7. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the batter (I use this scoop) and roll into balls; roll each ball in cinnamon sugar and slightly press them into a disc shape for even cooking. 
8. Repeat with the rest of the cookies, then place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the pan, then remove and continue to cool on a baking rack. 
9. While the cookies are cooling, make your glaze by combining the powdered sugar, nutmeg and non-dairy milk. Once the cookies are cooled, dip the cookies into the glaze OR drizzle the glaze on top. 

Notes

*I use Earth Balance baking sticks for almost all of my vegan baking, but any butter should work. I wrote these cookies to be vegan, but regular butter and milk will also work. **I almost always use oat milk for baking as it contributes to browning, but again– any milk should work. 

If you want to make shaped cut-out cookies, roll out the batter in between 2 pieces of parchment paper. The thicker the roll out, the chewier the cookie will be, the thinner the crispier the cookie. The butter in this recipe will make the batter soft to work with if left out too long; the faster that you handle these, the easier the cut outs will be. If it becomes too soft, then place back in the fridge/freezer if necessary. 

These are a nice chewy cookie, which is what I prefer. If you want a crispier cookie, then press it more or roll the dough to less than a 1/4 inch. Both are good!

If you want a thicker glaze, then dip the cookies a few times. It will “harden” nicely, but these cookies should be stored in the fridge after the first day. 

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