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    Home » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Baking Recipes » Vegan Shortbread

    Vegan Shortbread

    Published: Feb 12, 2016 · Modified: Jul 28, 2021 by Kate Ford · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Vegan Shortbread
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Two flavours of 'buttery' vegan shortbread from one batch of dough…. lemon & poppy seed and macademia & choc chip.

    Here's a quick and easy recipe to wow and woo your valentine, with not one but two flavours of beautifully 'buttery' shortbread, without the butter! These Lemon & Poppyseed and Macadamia Nut & Dark Choc Chip love hearts are sure to melt even the hardest of hearts.

    There was a Valentines' Coffee Morning at Pre-School this morning, so these fitted the bill perfectly.  Super-quick to throw together, (though they do need an hour of chilling in the fridge - you can be chilling elsewhere), using one big batch of dough to make two different flavours makes it look like you've put in far more effort than you really have... bonus! 

    Vegan Shortbread Cookies

    📝 What you need

    Dairy-free 'butter' Make sure you use a block butter (rather than a tub of spread), as the water content is much lower so you will get a richer, crumblier shortbread that is easier dough to work with. My current favourites are the Flora Plant Butter and Naturli Block if you can get hold of it.

    Rice Flour This was a River Cottage tip for fantastic shortbread, and it really does make all the difference here so do try to get hold of some. It is widely stocked in supermarkets these days.

    Macadamia nuts are very luxurious (with a price tag to match!), and have a particularly 'buttery' taste. (I also use them in my Vegan Flapjacks, I'm a bit of a fan!). If you can't get hold of any then try using hazelnuts or brazils - also a great match for the dark chocolate chips.

    Dark Chocolate Chips Do check the labels to make sure they are milk-free - many brands whose bars of dark chocolate are vegan then sneak some milk into their chocolate chips, annoyingly. Never assume anything - read the labels!

    👩🏽‍🍳 Flavour Variations

    For more flavour ideas, how about:

    • Pistachio and Orange 50g shelled pistachios and the zest of 1 orange
    • Dried Cranberry & Pecan 50g dried cranberries and 50g roughly chopped pecans
    • Vanilla & Choc Chip 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 50g dark chocolate chips
    • Hazelnut & Sultana 50g roughly chopped hazelnuts and 50g sultanas

    ❄️ Freezing

    Did you know that you can freeze unbaked shortbread dough ready rolled and cut out into shapes, (or just roll out a long sausage shape and slice into rounds)?

    Then when a friend comes over for coffee, just defrost a few on a baking tray in the morning, then pop into the oven and voila - freshly baked biscuits every time. Yum!

    Vegan in 15 by Kate Ford

    For more quick and easy vegan recipes take a look at my latest book Vegan in 15.

    "Brilliant! Chock full of easy recipes and great tips and advice"  Hello! Magazine

    ⭐️ Reader Testimonials

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Made these yesterday with my son during half-term. Wow, they are so delicious! We can't decide which flavour we like best. We'll definitely be making these again. Thanks for the great recipe!" Ann

    Vegan Shortbread Cookies - two flavours from one dough

    Please do save this recipe on Pinterest --> --> --> Sharing my posts helps me to keep creating free vegan recipes!


    I love hearing from you! Do send me pictures of your very own vegan shortbread cookies on:

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    🍽 If you liked that...

    .... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:

    • Jammy Star Biscuits #Vegan
      Jammy Star Biscuits (vegan)
    • Vegan Cherry Bakewell Tarts
      Cherry Bakewell Tarts (vegan)
    • A slice cut out of easy vegan apple cake
      Vegan Apple Cake
    • Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
      Vegan Victoria Sponge

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    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Shortbread

    Vegan Shortbread Biscuits

    Kate Ford | The Veg Space
    Two flavours of 'buttery' vegan shortbread from one batch of dough.... lemon & poppy seed and macademia & choc chip
    5 from 3 votes
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    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine British
    Servings 16 biscuits (8 of each flavour)
    Calories 178 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 250 g dairy-free block margarine
    • 125 g caster sugar
    • 140 g rice flour
    • Pinch salt
    • 250 g plain flour
    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
    • 50 g macadamia nuts roughly chopped
    • 50 g dark chocolate chips

    Instructions
     

    • In a food mixer, beat the margarine and sugar together very well (for at least a minute), then add the rice flour and salt. Beat again.
    • Add the plain flour and mix on a very low speed until just combined into a crumbly dough (it won't really hold together at this stage, don't panic).
    • Tip out onto a floured surface, and use your hands to press the dough together into a large lump. Divide the dough into two equal halves, and return one to the bowl. Sprinkle this half with the lemon zest and poppy seeds, and gently knead it together until evenly distributed, (avoid over-mixing, do as little as you can).
    • Add the chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts to the other half of the dough, and knead gently until evenly distributed.
    • Cover two baking trays with baking parchment or greaseproof paper. Roll out the dough to around half a centimetre thick, (a little too thick is far better than too thin where shortbread is concerned!). Use a heart shaped cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can, placing them on the baking trays. Then roll the offcuts together and re-roll and cut again. Continue until all the dough has been used up.
    • Repeat the process with the lemon & poppyseed dough. Place both trays in the fridge for an hour.
    • Whilst the biscuits are chilling, preheat your oven to 160°C / 320°F / Gas Mark 3. When an hour is up, remove them from the fridge, sprinkle each one with caster sugar and pat gently to press it into the dough.
    • Bake the biscuits for 20 minutes, they should remain fairly pale, don't let them turn too brown. After 20 minutes check underneath a few - if they are still a little soggy, flip them all over and return to the oven for a further 3-4 minutes.
    • Remove and place on a cooling rack.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1biscuitCalories: 178kcalCarbohydrates: 31.7gProtein: 3.1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 9.8gCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Mention @thevegspace or #thevegspace
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    « Banana Pancakes (no eggs) with pecan & maple
    Spicy Sesame & Edamame Noodles with Black Bean Tenderstem »

    About Kate Ford

    Hi! I'm Kate, vegan home cook and blogger behind The Veg Space and author of Vegan in 15. I'm passionate about creating easy vegan recipes that even a first-time cook can follow.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ann says

      June 05, 2021 at 7:32 am

      Made these yesterday with my son during half-term. Wow, they are so delicious! We can't decide which flavour we like best. We'll definitely be making these again. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        June 05, 2021 at 7:01 pm

        Thanks Ann - me and my son made some this week too and they are always a winner! Glad you enjoyed them. Kate

        Reply
    2. Cathy @ Planet Veggie says

      February 13, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      Vegan shortbread? No way! I can't wait to give these a go, thanks for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        February 13, 2016 at 9:56 pm

        Thanks Cathy - you would never guess they were no-butter! Hope you give them a go - let me know how you get on!

        Reply
    3. Isabella says

      February 13, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      What cute little shortbreads, love the sound of those flavour combinations! Perfect valentines treat!

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        February 13, 2016 at 9:56 pm

        Thanks Isabella! Yes lovely treats - just wish I did't have to make them for myself... haha!

        Reply
    4. Emily says

      February 13, 2016 at 11:50 am

      These look delicious Kate! Love lemon and poppy seed. Even better that they are vegan too x

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        February 13, 2016 at 9:57 pm

        Thanks Emily! Yes me too - my favourite flavour combo ever.

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes

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