Master Dough

This is a simple, trustworthy base dough that bakes into tender, buttery vegan shortbread-style biscuits. It comes together quickly and behaves beautifully. And because it’s so versatile, you can turn one batch into all sorts of treats: think crushed pistachios, half-and-half chocolate swirls, bright lemon, or even little marmalade “dodgers”. A few ideas are listed just after the main recipe.

Ingredients

• 200 g vegan butter (e.g. Flora or similar)
• 130 g caster sugar
• 310 g plain flour
• 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp almond milk (only if needed to bring the dough together)
• 2 tbsp white sugar (for sprinkling)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
   
2. Beat the vegan butter and caster sugar until soft, pale, and creamy.
   
3. Add the flour, cornflour slurry, and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
   If the dough seems dry or crumbly, add the almond milk a teaspoon at a time until it forms a soft but firm dough.
   
4. Shape as you like — use a cutter, a piping bag, or simply scoop heaped teaspoons of dough onto the tray. Leave a little room for spreading.
   
5. Bake for 10–15 minutes, turning the tray halfway. The biscuits should look set and only lightly golden at the edges.

– Makes around 35 biscuits, approximately 92 calories per biscuits (3,220 for the whole batch)

Customisation Ideas

Crushed Pistachio

Fold a small handful of crushed pistachios into the dough, then press a few extra pieces on top before baking.

Chocolate Swirl (Half & Half)

Split the dough in two. To one half, add 1 tbsp cocoa powder and 1–2 tsp almond milk to keep it soft.
Roll each portion into a log, press the logs together lengthwise, gently roll to smooth, slice, and bake.
A little flaky sea salt on top is gorgeous.
(Or keep it simple: bake them plain and dip half of each biscuit in melted chocolate.)

Marmalade “Dodgers”

Roll out the dough and cut circles. Cut a small decorative centre (star/heart) from half the circles.
Add a small spoon of marmalade to the whole circles, top with the cut-out circles, and bake.

Lemon

Add the zest of 1 lemon and 2–3 drops almond extract (for depth, not almond flavour).

Baking Tips

• Taste the dough: Ingredients can vary, so always taste the finished dough before freezing or baking. If it’s a bit bland, add a touch more sugar or vanilla; if it tastes too floury, loosen it with a splash of milk or a small milk–flour slurry; and if it’s too sweet, add a tiny pinch of salt. Once the raw dough tastes genuinely delicious, you’re ready to go.
• For the cleanest shapes: Cut or shape the biscuits, then freeze them for 10–15 minutes before baking.
• Start from a cold oven: Placing the tray in before the oven heats helps the biscuits hold their shape and prevents spreading.
• Bake low and slow: If you struggle with spreading, reduce the temperature slightly and extend the baking time by a few minutes.
• Freezer-friendly: The whole batch can be frozen — either as a block of dough or already shaped. Bake straight from frozen; just add an extra minute or two.