If you’ve ever wandered the biscuit aisle at a grocery store, squinting at the tiny, unlabeled ingredient lists on crinkly tins and cardboard boxes, you’ve probably asked the same question I get every single day: “Are there any vegan biscuits?” For years, the answer felt like a frustrating, limited yes—if you could hunt down the sad, crumbly oat biscuit at the back of the shelf that tasted like cardboard and cost twice as much as its dairy-filled counterparts. But as a biscuit supplier who’s spent the last 12 years refining recipes and testing every batch for both taste and inclusivity, I’m here to tell you that the vegan biscuit landscape isn’t just growing—it’s thriving, and it’s a lot better than you might think. Biscuits
Let’s start with the basics, because “vegan” is a word that’s thrown around so loosely these days that it’s easy to get confused. When we talk about vegan biscuits, we’re talking about any biscuit that doesn’t contain animal-derived ingredients. That means no butter (a lot of traditional biscuits use whole butter, which is made from cow’s milk), no animal fat (lard, which comes from pigs, or suet, from sheep), no honey (many people who follow a vegan lifestyle avoid honey because it’s produced by bees), and no dairy-based add-ins like whey, casein, or milk powder. It also means no eggs, which are common in many crisp, buttery shortbreads and soft, chewy biscuit varieties. For a long time, manufacturers thought removing those ingredients would result in a biscuit that was dry, flavorless, or crumbly. I’ve seen so many failed test batches over the years that I’ve lost count—batches that tasted like raw flour, or fell apart before you could dip them in tea, or had a weird chalky aftertaste from cheap substitutions. But over the last decade, ingredient technology has come a long way, and more people are demanding better options, so we’ve all stepped up our game.
Take butter, for example. Traditional shortbread is mostly butter, sugar, and flour—three simple ingredients that make it so rich and melt-in-your-mouth. A lot of early vegan shortbreads tried to use coconut oil as a substitute, and while coconut oil works, it can leave a strong, tropical aftertaste that clashes with vanilla or salt. These days, though, there are highly refined plant-based butters made from blends of sunflower oil, palm fruit oil, and cocoa butter that have a neutral flavor, a similar texture to dairy butter when chilled, and melt just as nicely in the oven. I tested 17 different plant-based butters last year before landing on the one we use for our vegan shortbread, and the difference is night and day. It’s not just the fat, either—sugars have gotten cleaner, and we’re using vanilla extracts that aren’t processed with animal bone char, which is a common hidden ingredient in many vanilla products. Even flours: we use unbleached wheat flour, but we also test for cross-contamination with animal products, because a lot of commercial bakeries process both vegan and non-vegan products on the same equipment. That’s a big one for people who are strictly vegan, and it’s why I’ve invested in two separate production lines at our facility—one for vegan biscuits, and one for regular ones.
Now, let’s talk about the range, because vegan biscuits aren’t a one-note category. For a long time, if you wanted a vegan biscuit, your only option was plain oat or a basic cracker. But these days, you can find vegan versions of almost every popular biscuit style, from chocolate chip to ginger snaps to shortbread, and they’re actually tasty. I mention chocolate chip first because it’s the most requested by far. When we first developed our vegan chocolate chip biscuit, we had to solve two big problems: replacing the butter (which we’ve already covered) and making sure the chocolate was vegan. A lot of standard chocolate has dairy lecithin or milk solids, so we worked with a local chocolate maker to create a dark chocolate that’s 70% cacao, sweetened with cane sugar (not beet sugar, which is sometimes processed with bone char), and uses sunflower lecithin instead of dairy. The result is a chocolate chip biscuit that has the same chewy, melty chocolate center, the same buttery crumb, and the same sweetness as a non-vegan chocolate chip. We tested it at a local farmers’ market a few years ago, and the feedback was incredible—even non-vegan customers couldn’t tell the difference, and many said it was their new go-to.
Ginger snaps are another classic that’s often vegan, but not always. Traditional ginger snaps use molasses and butter, so you’d think they’d be easy to make vegan, but a lot of commercial versions cut corners and use low-quality fats that leave them greasy or bland. Our vegan ginger snaps are made with blackstrap molasses, fresh grated ginger, a touch of cinnamon and cloves, and that neutral plant-based butter we use for the shortbread. They’re crispy, spiced just right, and have that classic chewy edge that makes ginger snaps perfect for dipping in tea or coffee. We also make a vegan oat biscuit that’s sweetened with a little bit of maple syrup, packed with rolled oats and a hint of sea salt—great for people who want a simpler, less sweet option, or for pairing with jam. And we can’t forget about savory vegan biscuits, which are a whole other category that’s been growing fast. Our savory rosemary and sea salt cracker is vegan, made with whole grain wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh rosemary, and it’s perfect for pairing with hummus, cheese, or soup. Savory vegan biscuits used to be hard to find, but now they’re just as popular as sweet ones, especially as more people follow plant-based diets or just want to cut back on animal products without sacrificing flavor.
Of course, as someone who supplies biscuits to cafes, grocery stores, and specialty shops, I know that demand isn’t just about taste—it’s about consistency and availability. A lot of small bakeries make great vegan biscuits, but they can’t scale to meet the demand of a chain store that needs 5,000 boxes a week. That’s why we’ve worked hard over the years to perfect our vegan recipes so they’re consistent batch after batch, year after year. We run monthly taste tests with a panel of vegan customers, dietitians, and even non-vegan biscuit lovers to make sure we’re getting it right, and we test every single batch for hidden animal ingredients, cross-contamination, and shelf life. The last thing we want is for a customer to buy a box of our vegan biscuits, only to find that they’re stale after three days, or that they accidentally contain a dairy derivative.
One of the biggest myths I hear is that vegan biscuits are only for vegans. That’s not true at all. In fact, a lot of our best-selling vegan biscuits are bought by people who don’t follow a plant-based diet. They’re people who are lactose intolerant, who want to cut back on their cholesterol, who are looking for healthier snack options, or who just love good food. A few months ago, a regular customer who runs a chain of coffee shops told me that she switched to our vegan chocolate chip biscuits because her baristas were asking for more inclusive options for customers who couldn’t eat dairy, but her regular non-vegan customers kept ordering them too. She said they loved that they weren’t too sweet, that they had a rich chocolate flavor, and that they were a little bit healthier than the average biscuit. That’s the thing about vegan biscuits now—they’re not a niche product for a small group of people. They’re a mainstream option that works for everyone.
If you’re a café owner, a grocery store buyer, or a food service manager who’s been looking for vegan biscuits to add to your menu or your shelves, I can tell you that the options are better than ever. Gone are the days of settling for a dry, crumbly oat biscuit that no one really loves. Today’s vegan biscuits are flavorful, consistent, versatile, and accessible. We also offer custom formulations, so if you have a specific need—whether it’s gluten-free, low-sugar, or a unique flavor—we can work with you to create a biscuit that fits your requirements. We supply to businesses of all sizes, from small local cafes to large regional grocery chains, and we can handle bulk orders, private labeling, and any other needs you might have.
The biscuit industry has come a long way in the last 10 years, and vegan options are a big part of that. As more people become conscious of their food choices, whether for health, environmental, or ethical reasons, the demand for good vegan food will only keep growing. And as biscuit suppliers, it’s our job to meet that demand with products that are just as good, if not better, than the non-vegan options. We’ve spent years perfecting our vegan recipes, investing in equipment that ensures purity, and listening to what our customers want. The answer to “Are there any vegan biscuits?” is a resounding yes—and they’re delicious, versatile, and perfect for any business looking to add inclusive, high-quality snack options.
If you’re ready to bring great vegan biscuits to your customers, I’d love to sit down and talk. We can go over our product line, discuss custom formulations, bulk pricing, and delivery options, and answer any questions you have about our process or our ingredients. Whether you’re a small local business or a large national chain, we can work with you to find the right vegan biscuit solutions for your needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out to start the conversation—great vegan biscuits are out there, and we’re here to supply them.
Chocolate Chip Cookies References
- Vegan Society. (2024). Definition of Veganism. Retrieved from vegan society.org
- International Food Information Council. (2023). 2023 Food and Health Survey: Plant-Based Foods and Beverages. Retrieved from ific.org
- Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance. (2022). UK Biscuit Industry Market Report. Retrieved from bcaconfederation.org.uk
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (2021). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Retrieved from eatright.org
Guangdong Liangyu Food & Technology Co., Ltd.
Address: Room402, 4/F, Block 3, Xiong Wel industrnal Park, No.77 Wan Cheng Road, Gaoming, Foshan, Guangdong. CHINA
E-mail: sale@liangandyu.com
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