If you’ve been on the lookout for a delightful treat that’s both vegan and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, you’re in for a real winner. This Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe is one of my absolute favorites to bake — perfect for brightening up a rainy day or impressing friends at your next gathering. These cookies are soft, sweet, and have that lovely pink hue that just makes you smile. Trust me, once you try them, they’ll be your go-to recipe for years to come.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh Strawberry Flavor: Using real strawberries (pureed and reduced) makes these cookies bursting with true berry goodness.
- Vegan and Friendly: Made without any animal products, these cookies are perfect for vegan diets or anyone avoiding dairy and eggs.
- Perfect Texture: Soft and slightly chewy with just the right amount of sugar crunch on the outside.
- Visually Stunning: The delicate pink color adds a charming touch, making them ideal for parties or gifting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients for this vegan strawberry sugar cookies recipe come together to balance moist fruitiness with tender, buttery texture. You’ll want to look for ripe strawberries to get the best flavor, and I’ll share tips on how to manage the dough for the perfect consistency.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen, these provide that signature strawberry punch — I prefer fresh for the best natural sweetness.
- Granulated sugar: Used twice, once in the dough and again to coat the cookies for a bit of crunch and sparkle.
- Vegan butter: Room temperature to cream smoothly with sugar and add classic cookie richness.
- Vanilla extract (optional): Just a splash enhances the flavor without overpowering the strawberry notes.
- Pink or red food coloring: This is optional but lovely if you want that pretty pink color; use sparingly to avoid a flavor impact.
- All-purpose flour: I recommend weighing this for accuracy — it helps the cookies bake evenly and spread properly.
- Baking soda: For the gentle lift and light texture.
- Salt: Especially important if you’re using unsalted butter, to balance the sweetness.
Variations
One of my favorite things about this Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe is how flexible it is to your tastes and needs — you can easily tweak the color, sweetness, or even flour choice for a personalized touch.
- Use Beetroot Powder: I tried beetroot powder once to dye these cookies naturally pink — while it worked, the color was more muted and slightly dulled the strawberry flavor, so I prefer food coloring for special occasions.
- Gluten-Free Option: Swapping in a quality measure-for-measure gluten-free flour works wonderfully; the cookies are a bit softer but just as tasty.
- Adjust Flour for Chewier Cookies: Reducing the flour quantity slightly gives you a chewier texture with a stronger strawberry punch, but the dough gets stickier so plan a short chill.
- Skip Food Coloring: Don’t worry if you want to keep it natural — the cookies will look more rustic but the fresh strawberry flavor still shines through beautifully.
How to Make Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Make Your Strawberry Reduction
This is the heart of the recipe, so don’t rush it. Blend or puree your strawberries until smooth, then simmer them down in a saucepan over medium heat — stirring occasionally, or constantly on higher heat — until they thicken like tomato paste. I usually aim for about 15 to 30 minutes depending on my stovetop. This concentrated strawberry flavor makes all the difference in your cookies. Once reduced, let it cool completely before moving on.
Step 2: Prepare the Cookie Dough
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper so your cookies don’t stick. Beat the vegan butter and sugar together until they’re well combined and creamy — it helps to have the butter at room temperature for this. Add in the cooled strawberry reduction, vanilla, and food coloring, then mix thoroughly. Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing just until combined. The dough should be soft and a little tacky but not sticky; if you find it on the sticky side, pop it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to firm up.
Step 3: Shape and Coat the Cookies
Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, form balls of dough about 2 tablespoons each. Roll each ball in granulated sugar for a sweet, sparkly coating — it creates the prettiest contrast with the vibrant pink dough. Arrange them spaced 2 inches apart on your baking sheets. If you prefer thinner, chewier cookies, gently flatten the dough balls before baking.
Step 4: Bake to Perfection
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until you see the cookie edges are set and lightly golden. When they come out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes to set up — the centers will still be soft but become nicely tender. If your cookies don’t spread as much as you expect, gently flatten them right after baking with a fork or glass bottom; that trick saved me the first time I made these and it works like magic.
Pro Tips for Making Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Use a Kitchen Scale: Measuring strawberries and flour by weight ensures perfect cookie texture and avoids dry or dense results — I learned this the hard way after too many flat cookies!
- Don’t Skip Cooling Your Strawberry Reduction: Adding this hot or warm to the dough will melt your butter and make the dough too loose, so let it cool completely before mixing.
- Adjust Food Coloring Gradually: I usually start with less and add more as needed because the color fades in the oven and some food colorings have a more intense flavor when overused.
- Watch Your Oven Closely: Bake these cookies just until edges are set — overbaking dries them out; I like to pull mine out early for soft, melt-in-your-mouth bites.
How to Serve Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep it simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a spoonful of vegan whipped cream on the side when serving. Sometimes I’ll add a fresh strawberry slice on top for a pretty, fresh garnish that accents the cookie’s flavor perfectly.
Side Dishes
This recipe pairs beautifully with a warm cup of herbal tea, a glass of cold almond milk, or a fruity smoothie. I love serving these at brunch alongside fresh fruit salad — it feels like a mini celebration every time.
Creative Ways to Present
For birthdays or Valentine’s Day, I’ve arranged these cookies in heart shapes on platters or stacked them tied with a pretty ribbon as edible gifts. You can also sandwich two cookies together with vegan strawberry jam for a charming twist that never fails to impress.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep mine in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay fresh and soft for about 5 days. Just be sure the container is sealed well to prevent drying out — I learned that the hard way after leaving cookies uncovered overnight!
Freezing
If you want to enjoy these strawberries sugar cookies later, freezing works like a charm. I flash freeze the cookie dough balls on a tray, then store them in a freezer bag for up to a month. You can bake them straight from frozen by adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Reheating
To bring back that fresh-baked softness, I pop leftover cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5 minutes. This little trick revives the cookie’s texture without drying them out, making each bite taste like they just came out of the oven.
FAQs
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Can I use frozen strawberries for this Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe?
Absolutely! Frozen strawberries work just fine and can actually be more convenient year-round. Just thaw them fully and drain any excess liquid before making your puree to prevent the dough from becoming too wet.
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What if I don’t want to use food coloring?
No worries at all. The cookies will still taste fantastic without coloring. The natural pink comes mainly from the strawberry puree, so expect a more subtle blush shade rather than bright pink. You can also experiment with natural dyes like beetroot powder if you prefer, but the flavor and color intensity may vary.
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How do I make sure my cookies spread evenly?
Weighing your flour and strawberries really helps here. If the dough feels too sticky, refrigerate for a short time before baking. Also, spacing the dough balls about 2 inches apart allows room to spread without crowding. If they don’t spread as expected, flattening them gently after baking can fix it.
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Can I substitute the vegan butter with coconut oil?
You can substitute coconut oil, but note it may slightly change the texture and flavor. Use solid coconut oil, and measure by weight for best results. The cookies might be a little softer and have a subtle coconut note, which can be a nice twist!
Final Thoughts
This Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my kitchen rotation because it’s both approachable and reliably delicious. I love how the fresh strawberry puree infuses the dough with vibrant flavor, and the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture always gets rave reviews from friends and family. If you try this recipe, I’m pretty sure it’ll become a staple for you, too — whether you’re a longtime vegan or simply a cookie lover looking for something fresh and fun to bake. So grab those strawberries, and let’s get baking!
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
Delight in these vibrant vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies, made with fresh strawberry reduction and a soft, tender crumb. Naturally colored with pink or red food coloring and sweetened with granulated sugar, these cookies offer a perfect balance of fruity flavor and classic sweetness. Ideal for sharing or as a colorful treat at any occasion, they can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Strawberry Cookies
- 3 cups (360g) strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (150g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- ¼-1 teaspoon pink or red food coloring, as needed
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted vegan butter)
Sugar Coating (optional)
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the strawberry reduction: Optionally blend or puree the strawberries using a stick blender or food processor until you have about 1 ½ cups of puree. In a large pot or saucepan over medium heat, cook the strawberry puree (or whole strawberries with a splash of water) while stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high if needed and stir constantly to prevent burning. Continue cooking for 15-30 minutes until the mixture thickens and weighs about 120g, resembling tomato paste. Let it cool.
- Prepare cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and vegan butter until smooth. Mix in the cooled strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and food coloring until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt, then beat until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky. If too sticky, cover and chill for 10-20 minutes.
- Shape cookies: Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion dough into about 20 balls (approximately 2 tablespoons or 38g each). Roll each ball in the optional granulated sugar to coat.
- Arrange and flatten: Place cookie dough balls 2 inches (5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets because they’ll spread. For thinner, chewier cookies, gently flatten each ball before baking.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are set and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Storage and serving: Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days, refrigerate up to 10 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Weigh strawberries and flour for best results to ensure proper dough consistency and spreading.
- Pink food coloring yields a medium-pink cookie color; red food coloring is stronger and requires less. Color fades during baking.
- For chewier cookies with more strawberry flavor, reduce flour to 2 cups (250g); dough will be stickier and cookies will crack more.
- The recipe works well gluten-free using King Arthur’s Measure for Measure flour, resulting in a slightly softer dough and well-baked cookies.
- If cookies don’t spread during baking, flatten them gently right after removing from the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
