These Vegan Smile Cookies are a fun Tim Hortons copycat treat that kids will absolutely love! Made with just 6 simple ingredients, these allergy-friendly chocolate chip cookies are decorated with blue eyes and a pink smile. Perfect for family baking, kids’ parties, or any time you want a playful, allergy-safe treat. Spoiler alert: our 6 year old decorate these, and they were a hit!
Why I Made This Recipe
Living in Canada, we’re lucky to have a Tim Hortons on almost every street corner. But with food allergies in our family, we can’t enjoy many of their baked goods. Every year when Smile Cookies are released for charity, my kids would miss out so I knew I had to create a safe, vegan version that they could enjoy. These cookies let my family join in the fun without worrying about dairy or eggs, and now they’re a beloved tradition in our home.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Smile Cookies
Baking these cookies isn’t just about eating them – it’s about creating a fun, memorable activity with your kids. Here’s why they are so irresistible:
- Quick and Easy: only 6 ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: decorating them is almost as fun as eating them.
- Allergy-Friendly: No dairy, no eggs, and can be easily made gluten-free.
- Perfectly Chewy: Chocolate chip cookies with soft centres and lightly golden edges.
- Party Ready: Bright, cheerful cookies make perfect treats for birthday parties, playdates, or classroom snacks.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is a small-batch vegan recipe with an easy gluten free option.
For the Cookies:
Flour: Self raising flour creates a bit of puff in the cookies. Don’t have this particular flour? Check out my handy guide to make your own (includes all purpose and gluten free options).
Sugar: Use white sugar. You can also swap with brown sugar if you prefer a light molasses flavour.
Plant-Based Butter: I recommend unsalted block-based butter.
Flavouring: Vanilla bean paste adds a deeper flavour profile.
Water: The binding agent in place of eggs. Sub with plant based milk if you prefer.
Plant-Based Chocolate Chips: Sub with chunks or cut up your favourite chocolate bar.
For the Icing:
Icing Sugar: Sift your icing sugar before making the icing to avoid any lumps.
Water: to thin down the icing.
Food Colouring: Pink and sky blue food colouring, to recreate the iconic smile.
How to Make Vegan Smile Cookies
Making the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 320°F and gather all ingredients. Allow the butter to come to room temperature before starting the recipe. Cream 125g butter, 75g white sugar and 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste in a mixing bowl.
Add 175g self raising flour and 2 tbsp water. Mix until everything is combined.
Stir in 150g chocolate chips.
Ensure that the chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. And that’s it. Less than 2 minutes to mix everything together!
Baking Time!
Using an ice cream scoop, add balls of cookie dough to a baking pan. There is no need to grease or line the pan. I recommend leaving a gap between each ball as the cookies will spread a little bit.
Press down the cookie balls with the back of a spoon to flatten them slightly.
I made the last cookie a bit bigger than the rest so that our 6 year old could have a larger one. This recipe would normally make 12 cookies if you keep them to a similar size.
Bake at 320°F for 20 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. I love to bake cookies so that the bottoms are golden as well. If you prefer yours to be lighter underneath, bake for a minute less.
Here’s what they look like when you break them open. Nice and full of chocolate chips and a great chewy crunch as well.
Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking pan before moving them onto a cooling rack.
Decorating Smile Cookies
Add 1 drop of pink food colouring to 50g of icing sugar.
Mix and add water until you have a pipable consistency. I used approximately 2 teaspoons of water.
Repeat the process to make the blue icing.
Once the cookies have cooled, fill each piping bag with icing then cut a small amount off the end.
Pipe 2 blue dots for the eyes and a smile with the pink icing. I was helping my 6 year old pipe in this photo. He had a blast icing these cookies (and eating them!).
How can you resist such a cute cookie? And don’t forget that there’s no wrong way to decorate these. The quirkier the better!
Serve these cookies on a platter at kid’s birthday parties, or enjoy for an afternoon treat. They also make a fun gift, packaged in a food-safe bag tied with a ribbon.
Are Smile Cookies Good for Parties?
Absolutely! These are a bright and cheerful cookie that are perfect for:
- Kid’s birthday parties
- Classroom celebrations
- Bake sales
- Playdates
- Holiday cookie platters
You can even set up a decorating station and let kids pipe their own smiles for a fun activity table.
Storage Tips
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them (unfrosted or decorated) for up to 3 months – just pop on a plate to defrost at room temperature when you need a sweet smile treat.
Freeze leftover icing in icing bags – simply tape up the end of the bag and pop in a ziploc in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and lightly massage the bag to soften the icing before using.
FAQs about Vegan Smile Cookies
If you’re making Smile Cookies for the first time, here’s a few answers from some common questions.
This small-batch recipe yields approximately 12 cookies, depending on the size of your scoop. If you’re baking with kids, don’t worry about making them perfectly even – we often just eyeball it.
Yes! Simply substitute the self-raising flour with my homemade gluten free self raising flour. This keeps the cookies soft and chewy while remaining completely dairy-free and egg-free.
Every year Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee and donut chain, runs its Smile Cookies campaign to support local charities and community organizations across Canada. During Smile Cookie Week, 100% of the sales of every Smile Cookie sold are donated locally. You can find out more about this iconic treat on the Tim Hortons website.
Use small piping tips or zip-loc bags with the tip snipped off for easy control. Keep the icing slightly thick so that the icing doesn’t run. Mix colours for fun variations and seasonal themes, and encourage quirky, creative smiles. Have fun with them!
Absolutely – you can bake the cookies 1-2 days in advance and store them unfrosted in an airtight container. Decorate on the day of the party for the freshest look.
These cookies are dairy-free, nut-free and egg-free. Check with local school policies for guidelines on home-baked goods.
Allergy Friendly Smile Cookies
These homemade Vegan Smile Cookies are perfect during Smile Cookie Week, especially for families who need a dairy-free or egg-free alternative.
We hope you have so much fun decorating these Smile Cookies with your family! If you make these Vegan Smile Cookies, I’d love to see your creations! Leave a comment below, share your party setups, or tag Bake Angel on Instagram so we can celebrate your colourful smiles together.
More Kid Friendly Treats?
Check out this selection of family favourite snacks:
- School Safe Banana Mini Muffins – perfect for vegan lunchboxes.
- Dairy-Free Rice Krispie Treats – a classic, allergy-safe snack.
- Mini Chocolate Donuts – party-friendly vegan treat.
- Funfetti Drop Cookies – small-batch cookies that kids will love!
Vegan Smile Cookies – Tim Hortons Inspired
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 175 grams Self Raising Flour
- 75 grams White Sugar
- 125 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- 2 tbsp Water
- 150 grams Vegan Chocolate Chips
For the Icing
- 100 grams Icing Sugar (divided in two bowls)
- Pink Food Colouring
- Sky Blue Food Colouring
- Water (to thin icing)
Instructions
Making the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 320°F and gather all ingredients. Allow the butter to come to room temperature before starting the recipe.
- Cream 125 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted), 75 grams White Sugar and 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste in a mixing bowl.
- Add 175 grams Self Raising Flour and 2 tbsp Water. Mix until everything is combined.
- Stir in 150 grams Vegan Chocolate Chips.
- Using an ice cream scoop, add balls of cookie dough to a baking pan. There is no need to grease or line the pan. Press down the cookie balls to flatten them slightly. I recommend leaving a gap between each ball as the cookies will spread.
- Bake at 320°F for 20 minutes until lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking pan before moving them on to a cooling rack.
Making the Icing
- Add 1 drop of pink food colouring to 50g of icing sugar. Mix and add water until you have a pipable consistency. I used approx 2 teaspoons. Repeat the process to make the blue icing.
- Once the cookies have cooled, pipe 2 blue eyes and a pink smile. The quirkier the better!
Video
Notes
- Yield: Makes approx 12 Smile Cookies, depending on the size of cookies that you make.
- Serving & Decorating: Cool completely before decorating. Pipe blue eyes and a pink smile, then allow icing to set before serving. Perfect for kids’ parties and family baking fun.
- Storage: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition: Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and decoration amounts.
Love these! We always buy smile cookies every year and have never thought to make our own. Will definitely be trying these next time.
This was perfect for a friend party we had with kids that had allergies. Thank you this recipe so we could include everyone! I really appreciate it!
I’m so happy to hear that Ned!
I used to work at Tim Hortons, and every time the smile cookies rolled around it would make me so happy. I had to buy some! But now that I moved to the US I miss them! Thank you for such a great recipe 🙂
I always feel the same way whenever I see smile cookie on sale. Happy this brought back good memories for you.
So fun and a super option for those with allergies! Really quick to make and tasty too, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed them.
These smile cookies were so much fun to make. Happy they’re allergy-friendly too so that everyone can enjoy them!
Thanks Paula.
these smile cookies look so cute. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
I made these cookies with the kids yesterday and they turned out great! It was fun getting the kids involved in the kitchen too
Our kids love making these as well. Glad you all had fun!
really good for went i am playing Fortnite, made me lock in for that victory royal.
Love that! 😂 So glad it gave you that extra boost!