These Vegan Flower Cookies with delicate petal shapes and a colourful icing centre are simple, sweet and almost too pretty to eat. The dough uses just a handful of basic ingredients and comes together quickly, making this recipe perfect for beginner bakers as well as experienced ones who want a fun and decorative bake.
What makes these Vegan Flower Cookies especially appealing is that no cookies cutters or specialist tools are required. Instead of cutting shapes from rolled dough, each cookie is formed by rolling small balls of dough and arranging them into a flower pattern. Five small balls of dough create the petals, while a smaller ball forms the centre. Once gently pressed together, they bake into super cute flower-shaped cookies.
The dough itself is similar to a simple shortbread-style dough. It's made with plain flour, dairy-free butter, caster sugar, and a little vanilla extract for flavour. When mixed together, the ingredients form a soft dough that is easy to handle. If you're using a stand mixer, the dough comes together quickly using the paddle attachment. However, it can be made just as easily by hand by rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients.
One important step in this recipe is chilling the shaped cookies before baking. This helps the butter firm up, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. While it may be tempting to skip this step in a hurry, chilling the dough really does make a difference to the final appearance of the cookies.
These cookies are great for baking with children, for spring gatherings or afternoon tea. You can decorate them with different icing colours, add sprinkles, or keep them simple with just the icing centre. However you finish them, they’re a fun bake that’s sure to brighten up the table.
Despite their delicate appearance, the cookies store well too. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and they will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. This makes them perfect for baking ahead for events or gatherings.
Equipment you will need:
- Mixing bowl
- Stand mixer (optional)
- Baking tray
- Greaseproof paper
Which vegan butter to use?
My favourite vegan/dairy-free butter to use is Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted). Using tub based butters will not work as well as they are too soft.
Do I have to use icing in the middle?
No, you don't have to use icing in the middle. You can fill the centre with a chocolate button, a small dollop of jam, or even sprinkle some colourful decorative sprinkles on the icing.
Vegan Flower Cookies
Ingredients
- 230g plain flour
- 245g dairy-free block butter
- 80g caster sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 40g icing sugar
- ¾ tbsp dairy-free milk
- Food colouring gel
Instructions
- Place the plain flour, dairy-free butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl.
- If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on speed 2 until the mixture combines and forms a dough. If it looks crumbly, keep mixing and it will come together.
- If using your hands, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture comes together and forms a soft dough. This may take a few minutes.
- Take a small amount of dough and roll it into 5 small balls. I used a 1 tsp size measuring spoon to guide the size of the balls. Place the balls on a lined baking tray in the shape of a flower (the 5 small balls form the petals).
- Roll a smaller ball and place this in the centre of the flower.
- Gently press down to flatten the cookies.
- Use a knife or the back of a spoon to press small line into the petals.
- Chill the cookies on the baking tray in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.
- Bake the cookies for 8–12 minutes, until just lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on the tray or a rack.
- To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and whisk in the dairy-free milk until combined.
- If using multiple gel food colourings, separate the plain icing into bowls.
- Add a small amount of food colouring gel using a toothpick or the tip of a spoon.
- Mix until the colour is even, adding more colouring if you want a stronger shade.
- Spoon the icing into the centre of each flower and leave to set before serving.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
No comments
Post a Comment