• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Allergies
  • Substitutions
  • About
  • Shop

Living Beyond Allergies logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Allergies
  • Substitutions
  • About
  • Shop
  • Follow Along!

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Allergies
    • Substitutions
    • About
    • Shop
  • Follow Along!

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
  • ×

    HOME » Cookies

    Dated: December 2, 2022 Last Modified: December 2, 2022 by Laura This post may contain affiliate links.

    Christmas Sugar Cookies without Eggs

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    These easy Christmas sugar cookies without eggs are soft, buttery, keep their shape when baked, and taste amazing! Includes a simple sugar cookie icing that is also egg free!

    No matter if you have an egg allergy or have run out of eggs in the fridge, these eggless sugar cookies are the perfect recipe to satisfy any sweet tooth. They are delicious Christmas cookies that are perfect the whole holiday season.

    a large pile of Christmas sugar cookies stacked on top of each other in various shapes like trees, stars, and snowflakes. some are covered in pastel frosting with sprinkles and some are plain.

    At Christmas time I love making huge batches of sweet sugar cookies. They are perfect for cookie swaps, filling up cookie boxes, and just having to share. I love the egg free recipe that is quick to make and super yummy. 

    Free from: dairy (optional), casein (optional), eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, corn, sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, and more 

    These cookies taste just like the regular sugar cookies with eggs. Bake them a little less for a soft and chewy sugar cookie, or, keep them in the oven for an extra minute for a cookie sturdy enough for frosting. 

    Plus, these cookies can easily be made vegan and dairy free by swapping the butter for your favorite non-dairy butter. 

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love these Sugar Cookies 
    • Ingredients 
    • Allergy Variations 
    • Making the Dough 
    • Rolling out the Cookies 
    • Baking the Cookies 
    • Easy Sugar Cookie Icing 
    • Recommended Sugar Cookie Tools 
    • FAQs 
    • Top Sugar Cookie Tips 
    • How to Store 
    • More Cookies to Make 
    • Recipe

    Why You’ll Love these Sugar Cookies 

    • Easy to make cookies that taste just like traditional
    • No spread - they hold their shape
    • Super yummy with lots of vanilla 
    • Makes 4 dozen 3-inch cookies 
    • Easy to make dairy free and vegan with one simple swap 

    Ingredients 

    You only need a few simple ingredients to make these eggless sugar cookies; no flax eggs or egg replacer here! 

    ingredients for cookies in various glass bowls on a wood tabletop. black and white labels have been added to name each ingredient.
    • Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar not only makes the sugar melt into the dough, but it also has a pinch of cornstarch in it. This helps to replace the eggs in this recipe. 
    • Cornstarch: A little more cornstarch to help these cookies stay soft while helping the dough keep together. 
    • All purpose flour: Standard all purpose flour works best in this recipe. Don’t use things like bread flour, cake flour, or self-rising flour. For a gluten free sugar cookie, see this recipe here. 
    • Butter: I love to use European style butter in sugar cookies. It has a slightly higher fat content which makes them taste amazing. See below if you need to substitute for a dairy free option. 
    • Milk: A touch of milk helps the dough to come together, while providing some fat and moisture. See below for the dairy free option. 
    • Baking soda and Cream of Tartar: These help the cookies to rise and stay super soft. 
    • You’ll also need: Vanilla extract, salt 

    Allergy Variations 

    If you are avoiding dairy, you can still have this recipe! Replace the butter with your favorite brand of vegan butter. I’ve gotten some of my best results with Earth Balance sticks and “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” margarine. 

    To replace the milk, use a non-dairy milk like coconut milk, soy milk, or rice milk. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored so you don’t flavor the sugar cookies. 

    If you are avoiding corn, make sure that you purchase a corn free powdered sugar. Replace the cornstarch with either an equal amount of tapioca flour or arrowroot powder. 

    Want to make these gluten free? Check out my gluten-free sugar cookies recipe here!

    Making the Dough 

    This is an in-depth review of key points for the recipe. For the full instructions with the recipe ingredient measurements, please see the recipe card below. 

    In a medium sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients of flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set this aside. 

    glass bowl filled with sifted dry ingredients with a light green spatula on a wood tabletop.

    In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

    Add the milk of your choice and the vanilla, scrape down the butter, and mix again until fluffy. 

    metal mixing bowl filled with wet ingredients on a wood tabletop.

    Now it’s time to add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add them and slowly mix them together. 

    Don’t over mix at this point! The dough should just come together and have the ingredients fully incorporated together. Now it’s time to roll them out. 

    metal bowl filled with finished cookie dough on a wood tabletop.

    Rolling out the Cookies 

    Most sugar cookie recipes have you chill the dough, then roll it out, and then bake them. This recipe is different. 

    This egg free sugar cookie has you roll out the cookies before you chill them. Yes! 

    You need chilled dough so that the butter doesn’t melt in the oven and cause the cookies to spread everywhere. However, sugar cookie dough becomes like a solid brick and impossible to roll out. 

    rolled out sugar cookie dough with some shapes cut out of them. the dough is on parchment paper with a rolling pin next to it.

    Using a sheet of parchment paper and lots of flour, dust the surface with flour. Place half of the sugar cookie dough onto the lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough out to about a ¼-inch thickness. 

    Using your favorite cookie cutters, cut out the shapes and transfer them to a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. 

    Place each filled sheet in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. Letting the dough rest helps the butter to firm back up so they don't spread in the oven.

    12 unbaked cookies on a parchment lined baking tray.

    Roll out the dough several times until no dough remains. This should make about 4 dozen 3-inch cookies. 

    Baking the Cookies 

    Place each cookie filled cookie sheet into the pre-heated oven with the cookie tray in the middle of the oven. Try to only bake one sheet at a time to get the best results. 

    Bake them 11 minutes for soft and chewy cookies, 13 minutes for more crispy sugar cookies. 

    The cookies are done when they are slightly golden brown on the edges. Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies cool on the hot trays for about 10 minutes. Then you can transfer them to a wire rack. 

    Let them cool completely before icing! 

    black plate filled with Christmas sugar cookies in various shapes like trees and stars. some are covered in icing and sprinkles and some are plain. more cookies, sprinkles, ribbons, and various holiday themed items surround the plate making for a very full picture.

    Easy Sugar Cookie Icing 

    This sugar cookie icing isn’t anything complicated. You can keep it simple with some powdered sugar and water for the ultimate sweet and simple icing. Plus, it isn’t a royal icing because you don’t want to add eggs to the icing! 

    Adding a touch of light corn syrup keeps the icing glossy and helps with the viscosity when frosting. Use an offset spatula or a piping bag to decorate as you like. 

    I’m the first to admit I’m not the best decorator in the world when it comes to sugar cookies! But I love how they taste and the sprinkles are always fun. 

    The icing will set in about 24 hours at room temperature. After which you can stack them in cookie boxes or in a freezer safe container to save for Christmas. 

    If you are totally against using corn syrup, no problem. Just don’t add it. The cookie icing will still be delicious, it just won’t set as hard. 

    Recommended Sugar Cookie Tools 

    While you don’t need to have these tools in your kitchen to make sugar cookies, they really do help! 

    • Electric mixer: either handheld or a stand mixer to really cream the butter and sugars together. 
    • Parchment Paper: This unbleached parchment paper is fantastic.
    • Sprinkles: I love vegan sprinkles from Sweetopolita!

    Want to know my favorite products? I've curated a list of all my favorite cooking and baking essentials. Everything from baking sheet to corn free baking powder and more. Shop my favorites!

    FAQs 

    Can I eat raw egg free sugar cookie dough? 

    It’s true that without eggs there is less risk of getting sick from a raw egg. However, there is still raw flour in this dough which also has the potential to have harmful elements. Better to skip eating this raw and wait for a finished cookie. 

    Top Sugar Cookie Tips 

    • To measure the flour, make sure you use the scoop method! Give the flour a quick stir, then using a spoon, scoop it into your measuring up. Then use a knife to level off the flour to get the most accurate results. 
    • Room temperature butter is essential. Cold butter won’t mix properly with the sugar resulting in a cookie with butter not fully incorporated. 
    • Don’t over mix the dough. Over mixing will result in tough cookies. Mix until the flour is just incorporated. 

    How to Store 

    Countertop: You can keep unfrosted and frosted cookies on the countertop for up to 3 days in an airtight container. 

    Freezer: Store fully cooked and cooled cookies only. You can store both frosted and unfrosted. Just make sure that the frosting has fully set. Freeze layers of cookies with parchment paper in between each layer in a freezer safe container. They will keep for up to 3 months. 

    More Cookies to Make 

    • Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
    • Chewy Sun Butter Cookies (gluten free + vegan)
    • Vegan Vanilla Spritz Cookies
    • Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies

    If you try these out, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, dietary friendly recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

    Recipe

    close up of Christmas sugar cookies in various cut out shapes like trees and stars. some have pastel frosting on top with sprinkles. some are plain.

    Christmas Sugar Cookies without Eggs

    These easy Christmas sugar cookies without eggs are soft, buttery, keep their shape when baked, and taste amazing! Dairy free with a simple swap.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Chill Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
    Course: cookies
    Cuisine: Baked Goods
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: allergy friendly, holiday cookies
    Allergen: Celery Free, coconut free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Fish / Shellfish Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free
    Yield: 4 dozen
    Author: Laura // Living Beyond Allergies

    Equipment

    • Hand mixer or stand mixer, recommended
    • mixing bowls
    • mixing spoons
    • measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • baking trays
    • parchment paper
    • cookie cutters

    Ingredients

    Sugar Cookies

    • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
    • 1 cup butter softened
    • ¼ cup milk room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 ½ flour
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Simple Sugar Cookie Icing

    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
    • 1 tablespoon water more or less depending on how thick you like your icing
    • Splash vanilla
    • Pinch of salt
    • Food coloring if desired

    Instructions

    • Prep. Line 4 baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set them aside.
    • Sift dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients of flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set this aside.
    • Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes on medium speed. Add in the milk and vanilla, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix together until you have a soft and tacky dough. You may need to add a spoonful of flour extra.
    • Roll and cut out. Roll the dough before chilling the dough! Divide the dough in half to make it easier to work with and roll out onto a lightly floured surface. I like to use parchment paper for easy clean up. Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes and place them onto the prepared baking sheets.
    • Chill. Place the cookies on the baking sheets into the fridge and chill for about 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 350F. While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven. Make sure that the rack is in the middle of the oven. I recommend baking one cookie tray at a time with the cookies in the middle of the oven for best results.
    • Bake. Bake each cookie tray directly from the fridge for about 12-13 minutes depending on the size of cookies that you cut out. Smaller cookies, less than 2 inches big, may only require 10 minutes baking time. Large cookies over 4 inches big may require longer, such as 14 minutes. Please watch them carefully. Cookies are done when they turn a slightly golden brown color on the sides and bottoms. Remove from the oven and let them cool before decorating.
    • Decorate. In a large bowl, mix together the frosting. Divide it up into as many colors as you like and add food coloring as desired. Using a knife, offset spatula, or icing tools of your choice, decorate the cookies. The frosting will set in about 2 hours. Make sure to sprinkle right away so the sprinkles stick. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Allergy Variations 
      • If you are avoiding dairy, you can still have this recipe! Replace the butter with your favorite brand of vegan butter. I’ve gotten some of my best results with Earth Balance sticks and “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” margarine. 
      • To replace the milk, use a non-dairy milk like coconut milk, soy milk, or rice milk. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored so you don’t flavor the sugar cookies. 
      • If you are avoiding corn, make sure that you purchase a corn free powdered sugar. Replace the cornstarch with either an equal amount of tapioca flour or arrowroot powder. 
      • Want to make these gluten free? Check out my gluten-free sugar cookies recipe here!
    • How to Store 
      • Countertop: You can keep unfrosted and frosted cookies on the countertop for up to 3 days in an airtight container. 
      • Freezer: Store fully cooked and cooled cookies only. You can store both frosted and unfrosted. Just make sure that the frosting has fully set. Freeze layers of cookies with parchment paper in between each layer in a freezer safe container. They will keep for up to 3 months.
    LivingBeyondAllergies.com
    •  

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Love this recipe?Mention @livingbeyondallergies or tag #livingbeyondallergies!

    This site contains affiliate links which means I may receive commissions for purchases made though those links. However, please know that I only provide links to products that I actually use and totally recommend! Your purchases help support this blog. Thank you!

    More Cookies

    • Vegan Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies
    • The Best Egg Free Cookies
    • Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Chocolate Chip Cookies without Eggs

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Connect with me!

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr

    Never miss a recipe! Delivered weekly right to your inbox.

    Thanks!

    Laura, a white woman with red hair, is standing in front of a gray mural with floral details. She is wearing a black top, long Burgundy skirt, and black leather jacket.

    Hi, I’m Laura! Welcome to Living Beyond Allergies, a mix of healthy + indulgent allergy free recipes, plus a sprinkle of health resources. All eaters welcome! To learn more about me, click here!

    Valentine's Recipes

    • Delicious Ginger Sugar Cookies (gluten + dairy free)
    • BEST Vegan Chocolate Cake (No Weird Ingredients)
    • No Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie (no tofu!)
    • Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Sugar Cookies

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Easy Gluten Free and Nut Free Granola
    • Tomato Free Pizza Sauce
    • Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal
    • Tomato Free BBQ Sauce
    Subscribe for Recipes and More!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Living Beyond Allergies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Nutrition & Allergen Policy

    Recipes by Diet

    • Gluten Free
    • Vegan
    • Dairy Free
    • Egg Free
    • Nut Free
    • Top 9 Free

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    Affiliate links to products I love are sometimes used in articles. I will earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

    Copyright © 2023 Living Beyond Allergies