Vegan Vanilla Dragonfruit Cookies (Print Version)
Naturally pink vegan sugar cookies bursting with vanilla and dragonfruit flavor.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup vegan butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/3 cup unsweetened dragonfruit purée (pink pitaya)
08 - 1 tablespoon plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat)
09 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Optional Decoration
10 - 2–3 tablespoons granulated sugar, for rolling
11 - Extra dragonfruit purée, for swirling or drizzling
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the vegan butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add the dragonfruit purée, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add up to 2 tablespoons of extra flour.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball, then roll in granulated sugar to coat evenly.
07 - Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with your palm or the bottom of a glass.
08 - Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers remain slightly soft.
09 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - If desired, drizzle with extra dragonfruit purée before serving for added color and flavor.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The color is completely natural, no artificial dyes, just dragonfruit doing its thing.
- They stay soft for days and the flavor is subtle enough that even picky eaters come back for seconds.
02 -
- Vegan butter melts faster than dairy butter, so if your kitchen is hot, chill the dough for 15 minutes before rolling or the cookies will spread into pancakes.
- The color dulls slightly during baking, so if you want that wow factor, add a couple drops of natural pink food coloring to the dough or use freeze-dried dragonfruit powder instead of purée.
03 -
- Roll the dough balls quickly with slightly damp hands so the sugar adheres in an even, glittery layer.
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through the bake time if your oven has hot spots, it makes the difference between evenly golden edges and one side that browned too fast.