These gluten free and vegan snickerdoodles are soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and all-round delicious. With basic ingredients you probably have at hand right now and 15 minutes of prep time, they’re bound to become a holiday staple.
Snickerdoodles are not the easiest cookie to try and make a bit healthier, and it took me more than a few standard tries to get this recipe just right, but it was worth it. These heavenly smelling snickerdoodles are gluten free, vegan friendly, and even a bit lower in calories and fat than what you might expect from a standard snickerdoodle.
What Is a Snickerdoodle?
Essentially, snickerdoodles are a type of sugar cookie rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar. This gives them the distinct cracked surface once baked and the sparkly, cinnamony top. They can be either crisp or soft, depending on the ingredients used. For me, the perfect snickerdoodle in one with a soft, pillowy middle and a crisp surface.
So, Is There a Difference Between Sugar Cookies and Snickerdoodles?
Yes! While both use the same basic ingredients (flour, butter, sugar) snickerdoodles call for one very specific ingredient that them gives the distinctive tang - cream of tartar. Make sure you don’t skip it.
Are These Snickerdoodles Vegan?
Yes! Unlike traditional snickerdoodles that are made with butter and eggs, these call for coconut oil, which perfectly replaces butter, and a splash of almond milk. Normally I would substitute an egg with either aquafaba or a flax egg, but after trying out both versions I’ve come to realise this recipe works great without any direct egg substitutes.
Are These Snickerdoodles Gluten Free?
Yes, this recipe calls for ground oats, which is gluten free and works perfectly as a wheat flour substitute.
The Taste and Texture of Vegan Snickerdoodles
These snickerdoodles are made without dairy, eggs, or gluten and almost no refined sugar, so it’s reasonable you might be a bit sceptical about how they actually turn out. This is what you get:
- Taste: as close as it can be to traditional snickerdoodles
- Texture: a bit more crumbly than traditional snickerdoodles, but still have the soft middle and crisp surface
- Appearance: they don’t spread and crack as much when baking as traditional snickerdoodles
Are These Snickerdoodles Healthy?
A cookie can hardly be considered a health food. But you can always opt for the slightly healthier variation to satisfy your sweet tooth. And these snickerdoodles definitely fit the bill. They are:
- Dairy free
- Gluten free
- Vegan friendly
- Lower in sugar, fat and calories
- High in fibre and vitamins
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Vegan Snickerdoodles
The recipe actually calls for oat flour, so you can use that if you have it at hand. I like to make my own oat flour by processing rolled oats in a food processor until finely ground.
Important note: the recipe calls for 300 grams of either rolled oats or oat flour. If you’re using rolled oats, this is 2 ½ cups rolled oats measured before processing. If you’re using store-bought oat flour, it’s 3 ½ cups flour. I recommend using a kitchen scale for this recipe, as it yields most accurate results.
If you’re gluten intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
Baking soda
Baking soda acts as a leavening agent in this recipe, giving the snickerdoodles the light, soft middle.
Cream of tartar is the secret ingredient that makes snickerdoodles different from classic sugar cookies. Make sure you don’t skip it.
Use refined coconut oil that has a very mild flavour.
Granulated sugar
Snickerdoodles are a type of a sugar cookie, so granulated sugar is an essential ingredient. I haven’t tried this recipe with any other types of sugar or sugar substitutes.
Cinnamon
Essential for making snickerdoodles. Add a teaspoon directly into the dough and use more cinnamon to roll the cookies in before baking for a nice crust.
Gives the snickerdoodles the distinct sweet, slightly exoctic aroma.
Use your favourite plant-based milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but other varieties (soy, coconut, oat milk) work just as well.
How to Make Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
Step One: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step Two: Combine all your wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in a large bowl, cover it with cling foil, and let the batter rest in the fridge for about an hour.
Step Three: Form 1-inch dough balls and roll them in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place them far apart on the cookie sheet. There should be 12 balls on each of the two sheets.
Step Four: Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the cookies look puffed and are still very soft to touch.
Step Five: Gently flatten the snickerdoodles down with the back of a spoon, and let them cool for about 10 minutes, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Troubleshooting Snickerdoodles
Why Are My Snickerdoodles Puffy?
Snickerdoodles are sugar cookies, and they are not supposed to be puffy. Make sure to measure the amount of baking soda correctly. Also, how fresh is your cream of tartar and baking soda?
The Dough Is Tough
The most common reasons why the dough might turn out tough include overmixing, not incorporating the fat into the flour and the oven temperature not being right.
My Snickerdoodles Are Not Flat Enough
Make sure you don’t skip the final step - flattening the baked cookies right after you take them out of the oven. These vegan and gluten free snickerdoodles don’t spread as much as traditional snickerdoodles during baking.
How Long Do They Keep?
Snickerdoodles are the perfect cookie to bake ahead of time to have at hand during the holiday season, or just in case a sugar craving strikes. Baked cookies keep in the fridge for up to 10 days and can be frozen for up to two months. What’s best, you can also freeze the dough for up to two months, and bake a fresh batch without having to prepare the dough from scratch if you’re short of time.
Storing Raw Dough
- In the refrigerator - you can keep the dough covered for up to 3 days. When ready to bake, simply roll the balls, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar and bake according to instructions.
- In the freezer - you can roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar (last step before actually baking them), place them on a small baking sheet or plate and freeze them until solid. Once they’re solid enough, transfer the dough balls into an airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake from frozen you don’t have to defrost the dough first. Simply place the frozen balls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 2 - 3 minutes longer than the recipe says.
Storing Baked Cookies
- At room temperature - you can store cooled snickerdoodles in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
- In the refrigerator - these cookies will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- In the freezer - stored in an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag, snickerdoodles can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let them thaw on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge for a day before serving.
Looking for More Vegan Cookies?
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Vegan Snickerdoodles
ingredients
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
For Rolling
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
instructions
- Make the dough: Place rolled oats in a food processor, and process until finely ground. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground oats, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, mix melted coconut oil, sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. The batter should be thick, and not too sticky.
- Cover the bowl with cling foil, and let the batter rest in the fridge for about an hour.
- Make the topping: Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge. Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough each. Roll the dough balls in cinnamon-sugar topping. Arrange the cookies 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. When they are still very warm and soft, lightly press down on them with the back of a spoon to help flatten them out. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
notes
- Storing Instructions: you can store cooled snickerdoodles in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing Instructions: stored in an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag, snickerdoodles can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let them thaw on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge for a day before serving.
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