These easy eggless sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and scooped straight onto the baking tray, no rolling needed. The surprise ingredient is a splash of vinegar, which helps create a tender cookie without eggs.
Sugar cookies have always been on my to-bake list, especially around Christmas. I wanted a simple version without eggs that still felt just as fun to make and share. This recipe finally made that happen, and it quickly turned into a favorite at home.
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I first tried it on a day when my kids wanted to bake with me, and it turned out to be the perfect choice. The dough comes together easily, and scooping it onto the tray makes the whole process simple, even with little helpers around. Adding sprinkles on top made it even more exciting for them.
With egg prices going up, having a reliable eggless option like this is really helpful during the holidays. The secret to how these sugar cookies without eggs works is a small splash of vinegar. It gives them a soft, tender texture that you wouldn’t expect.
If you’re baking for Christmas, it’s nice to have a few different cookies on the tray. You can pair these with my eggless thumbprint cookies for a classic jam-filled option, or try the Italian ricotta cookies for something soft and cake-like.
Why These Eggless Sugar Cookies?
This is one of those recipes you’ll keep coming back to, especially when you want something simple and reliable.
- A dependable option when you want to bake egg free sugar cookies
- Made with simple pantry ingredients, nothing hard to find
- No special equipment needed, a handheld mixer works just fine
- No special egg substitutes for baking required, vinegar does the job beautifully
- Works with either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, with no noticeable taste
- Soft, light, and tender cookies every time
- Great for beginner bakers, the steps are easy to follow
- Easy to turn into variations like eggless snickerdoodles
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s a quick look at everything you’ll need. Below are a few notes on the key ingredients, and you’ll find the full list with measurements in the recipe card.
- Butter: Butter gives these cookies their rich flavor and soft texture. If you want a vegan version, a plant-based butter works well here.
- White vinegar: This is the key ingredient that makes these cookies work without eggs. It helps create a light, tender texture. Apple cider vinegar works just as well and doesn’t affect the taste or color.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a classic sweet flavor. You can switch it up with almond extract for a slightly nutty taste.
- All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour gives the best results. You can try whole wheat pastry flour for a softer cookie. A gluten-free all-purpose blend should work too.
- Colored sugar: Use sprinkles or colored sugar for decoration. It adds a fun touch and works for any occasion.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. In a large bowl, add sugar and butter.
2. Cream them together until well-mixed.
3. Add white vinegar to the mix.
4. Add almond extract to the mix.
5. Cream them well until light and fluffy.
6. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt (if using).
7. Incorporate this into the creamed sugar mixture and mix well.
8. Final sugar cookie dough is ready!
9. Scoop out a tablespoon of dough for each cookie, roll it into a ball, and flatten into ¼ inch thickness; sprinkle with colored sugar and place 2 inches apart (See My Notes)
10. Bake in an oven preheated at 350F/180C in a greased pan for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
Expert Tips
Measure flour the right way: For the best texture, measure your flour carefully. Scooping flour directly from the container with a measuring cup can pack in more flour than needed, which can change the dough. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off.
The first time I made these cookies, the dough felt quite sticky and needed chilling for about 30 minutes. The next time, after measuring the flour this way, the dough came together just right and didn’t need any chilling. That small change made a noticeable difference in how the cookies turned out.
Test bake a few cookies first: Before baking the whole batch, try baking 2 to 3 cookies. This helps you see how much they spread, how well they hold their shape, and how long they need in your oven.
If something feels off, you can make small adjustments right away instead of baking the entire batch. It’s a simple step that can save both time and ingredients.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! To make vegan sugar cookies, simply substitute the butter with a vegan butter alternative. Everything else in the recipe, including the vinegar, flour, and sugar, is already plant-based.
To make these cookies gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Just make sure the flour blend includes a binder like xanthan gum or guar gum to help provide structure to the cookies. Or else you can try this eggless, gluten-free sugar cookie recipe too!
All-purpose flour is the best choice for this recipe as it provides the perfect texture. However, you can experiment with whole wheat pastry flour for a slightly heartier version. Keep in mind that using other types of flour might change the texture.
Yes! While white vinegar is the traditional choice, apple cider vinegar works just as well in this recipe. It will not affect the flavor or color of the cookies, and you’ll still achieve the light, tender texture.
If you don't have vanilla extract, almond extract can be used as a great alternative. It gives the cookies a lovely, nutty aroma. Just use it in small amounts to avoid overpowering the flavor.
Yes! Feel free to use any colored sugar or sprinkles of your choice. Festive, sparkling sugars add a fun and colorful touch to your cookies.
Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you'd like them to last longer, you can freeze them for up to three months.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough! One method is to scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of dough, slightly flatten them, and place them on a baking sheet. Cover the sheet with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour.
Once the dough is frozen, remove the individual dough portions and place them in freezer-proof bags, double-bagging them for extra protection. When you're ready to bake, you can bake the frozen dough directly from the freezer, though you may need to add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Alternatively, you can freeze the entire dough. Simply shape the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. The dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours, then scoop out portions and bake as usual.
Bonus Tip: Eggless Snickerdoodle Cookies!
Thanks to a wonderful reader’s suggestion, you can easily turn this eggless sugar cookie dough into eggless snickerdoodle cookies! Simply roll each dough ball in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, flatten it slightly, and bake for 8-10 minutes. In no time, you’ll have soft and delicious snickerdoodle cookies with a perfect cinnamon-sugar coating!
More Christmas Cookies
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Recipe
Easy Eggless Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla/almond extract (combination of both too)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
- As needed colored sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vinegar and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt (if using). Incorporate this into the creamed sugar mixture and mix well.
- Scoop out a tablespoon of dough for each cookie, roll it into a ball, and flatten into ¼ inch thickness; sprinkle with colored sugar and place 2-inches apart (See My Notes)
- Bake in an oven preheated at 350F/180C in a greased pan for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool down for 2-3 minutes before removing them from the pan. Store it in air-tight containers once it's cooled completely.
My Notes
- Dough consistency: If the dough feels sticky or the cookies spread too much, chill it for 30 minutes. Always test bake 2–3 cookies first and adjust if needed.
- Flour measurement: Spoon and level the flour for best results. Small changes here can affect the dough texture.
- Vinegar: You may notice a slight tang in the dough, but it won’t be there after baking. Both white and apple cider vinegar work well.
- Flavor options: Use vanilla, almond, or a mix of both. Skip almond if serving to anyone with nut allergies.
- Salt: Optional. If using salted butter, you can skip adding extra salt.
Taste & Texture
Nutrition
Jessica says
So yummy !!! Just like the stores !
Madhuram says
Thank you, Jessica.
Audrey says
these are awesome
Madhuram says
Thank you, Audrey.
Talia says
I made this with my daughter today and we put the dough in the fridge for 30min the rolled and cutout hearts for valentine's cookies. Dough was a little crumbly and fragile but baked nicely and look great! Thank you
Madhuram says
You're welcome, Talia. If the dough is crumbly you can add a few drops of milk or water to get the proper consistency.
Soni says
This recipe turned out great!! I didn’t even need to put it in the fridge at all because the dough consistency was perfect after kneading. I added a bit more vanilla than the recipe though. And decorated them with royal icing instead of the sugar. Great combination 🙂 thank you for the recipe!!
Madhuram says
You're very welcome, Soni.
Cindy Hafer says
So can you do cut out cookies with this recipe?
Madhuram says
Sorry, Cindy, I don't remember the consistency of the cookie dough.
Ans says
Do these turn out soft and chewy in texture?
Madhuram says
It starts crispy throughout and after a day or two does get softer in the center.
Stella says
Are these cookies good for cut-outs? Just wondering whether the dough is suited for that. Or are there adjustments to make if one plans to use cookie cutters? Thanks for any advice you can provide!
Madhuram says
If I remember right, this might not work for cut-out cookies. Try these gluten-free sugar cookies instead if you want to bake cut-out cookies. You can use all-purpose flour instead of the gluten-free baking mix.
Shelly says
Have you ever rolled them out to use cookie cutters?
Madhuram says
No, Shelly. I haven't tried it.
Suzy says
Can someone tell me if they used salted or unsalted butter? I didn't see that listed in the recipe.
Thanks!!
Madhuram says
It's always unsalted butter, Suzy. Thanks for pointing it out. Will update the recipe.
Meagan says
I made these this past weekend. I was out of eggs, but really wanted to make sugar cookies! I halved the recipe, but used the full recipe's amount of vanilla, plus added 1/4 tsp almond extract. I also used apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar. Holy cow! These are amazing! They are perfect! Even better than some "regular" sugar cookie recipes I have used. And so simple! Thank you so much!!
Madhuram says
You're most welcome, Meagan. I'm super glad that you liked these sugar cookies!
Natalie says
I was craving something sweet but didn't have any eggs. So I googled eggless cookie recipes and chose this one since it was the highest rated. The cookies came out great. It is a fast and easy recipe without too many ingredients. I would make them again. The only changes I made was that I doubled the vanilla, refrigerated the dough about 30 minutes and didn't put additional sugar on top (type II diabetic). Thanks!
Madhuram says
Thank you for the feedback, Natalie.
Matthew says
I made this recipe and agree with the author that the dough does have a bit of a vinegar flavor when raw but I tasted no vinegar whatsoever in the finished cookies. The finished cookies were very good and turn out exactly as expected. My only minor complain is that they tasted a bit too strongly of butter for my taste, so I might not use the full cup of butter next time.
Madhuram says
Thanks for the feedback, Matthew.
Ana Marie says
These are awesome! I just made them because I was craving cookies but had no eggs. I am absolutely adding these to my recipe book! Thank you 🙂
Madhuram says
You're welcome, Ana Marie.
Lola says
Hi! Can I use white or brown sugar instead of colored sugar for the top of my cookies?
Madhuram says
That won't work, Lola, because brown sugar is finer in texture than the sprinkles and it will melt within the cookie and might also make the cookie spread more than required.
Tilly says
Didn't make but skipping vinegar sounds... well lets just say different!
Ryleigh says
I made this recipe. It is a very good recipe. I omitted the baking soda and white vinegar and used about 1/3 of a cup less flour as I live in a dryer climate and they turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!
Madhuram says
Wow! That's great to know!
Peggy D says
I just made these, and they are fantastic. I read many of the reviews before making to pick up tips on what worked and what didn't work. I halved the recipe, but put a full 1 tsp vanilla in the dough. I refrigerated the dough, then baked them about 11-12 minutes, and then let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven, and before transferring them to the cooling rack. I used a wide spatula to remove them from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack, and they held together perfectly. These cookies are delicious! I'm going to try using a cookie cutter for them next time I make them.
Madhuram says
Thank you very much for the detailed review, Peggy.
Nikki says
I made this doubling the recipe and adding extra 1/4 cup dark brown sugar. I also didn't put vinegar in the recipe. My cookies came out perfect and didn't fall apart after resting for the 3 minutes.
Madhuram says
That's great to know, Nikki! Thanks for the feedback.
Hana says
Hi,
How long will these keep for in an air tight container?
Madhuram says
I'm sorry Hana. I really don't know. I usually distribute it to family and friends keeping a small portion for us.